Sonic the Origins of Friendship
by kalissa.bair
Summary: This is literally the origin story of Sonic's and Robotnik's relationship. I own nothing, all rights are to SEGA.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1; a chance meeting

"Help me...anybody...please..." My voice was small, and wouldn't carry very far…I knew this, but I still kept crying. I was scared, beaten, and coughing up blood. My cyan coat was stained with crimson, and my drooping quills dripped moonlit drops of crimson. My originally white gloves had turned an awful reddish-brown color, and my red and white shoes matched with everything else… I was a mess, right down to the golden buckles of my hi-tops. Even if someone did come down this abandoned trail, they'd probably think I'm too far gone to save...and at this point...I'd agree with them.

The dirt road was slowly turning black beneath me as the trees that guarded this forsaken path waved maliciously in the foreign, dark wind. Every second seemed to last forever as this soul-splitting pain consumed me, the moon's light fading from my eyes. Fear escaped me as I softly chuckled…

 _I'm sorry...I guess...I couldn't leave either._

Everything then started to go numb. The feeling in my chest, my arms, my legs...everything vanished as I took one last look at the shadowed path before me. Breathing didn't seem to matter anymore.

 _Hope...where are you?..._

The shadows of the dirt way up ahead started to warp and bend. My vision bringing them to life in the shape of a young man. The shape was running now, the apparition bouncing up and down.

 _What was he running to?_ _There was nothing here..._

"Hey! Are you alright?" A shocked voice pierced through this numb feeling, the voice driving me back to stark reality, "Oh, God… What's happened to you, little guy? You're bleeding..." The worried man's voice was so far away…

"Hey, are you okay! Come on, I'm taking you home." He declared, scooping me up in his arms. I couldn't make out his face; everything was way too fuzzy and distant. "Have you been eating? You're so light..." He whispered more to himself than to me. My voice tried answer his question, but all that came out was a strangled grumble.

"What's your name?" He asked, his dark face now looking at mine. I tried to answer… my voice sounded choked and I was gargling on my own blood like a dying sewer rat.

"M-Maurice...the..Hedgehog..." I managed, my vision starting to fade in, only to fade back out, "Why...did...?" I started, choking on the words.

"Oh, just cause. I wanted to know who I was bringing home." He responded, but I shook my head, slowly.

"No...why...why save me?" I whispered, my eyes closing.

"You're hurt, I can't just leave you that way." He noticed my eyes were closing, "Hey, please don't fall asleep." I couldn't help but chuckle softly. I was so tired.

"What-what's your...name?" I gagged, unable to open my heavy eyelids.

"My name is Ivo, Ivo Robotnik. But you can call me Robotnik." He told me, still running down the road to oblivion.

"Where...?" I retched and tasted blood as the black liquid slowly raced down my chin.

"We're going to my house, or my corner of the house anyway. My parents don't like me in their living space, so they gave me the basement to live in. At least mom comes down with my meals during the day. You'll be safe there." He explained quickly, running still faster, "My dad's a workaholic, so he's never home, and my mom is too ashamed of me to be around me."

"Why?" I asked him, grateful for his voice.

"Because she wants me to become a real scientist, like father, but for some reason...I just can't do it. I hate hurting anything, and I don't want to do what he does. I like saving people and animals...like you." I felt hot drops of water falling onto my pale muzzle and shaved stomach; soft sobs come from the mouth of my savior.

"Why...are you...crying?" I asked him, and he stopped, one hand reaching to something in front of him.

"Because...I'm scared. You seem really hurt, Maurice..." He lamented, opening something and plunging into total darkness, "I..I don't want you to die."

I giggled painfully, the sound more like coughing than laughter, "I-I'm not gonna die, Robotnik...not anymore." He looked at me, and smiled.

"You have that much faith in me? Wow...no one ever has before." He told me, laughing softly as he wiped his tears away with his shoulder.

The darkness opened up, and suddenly, I was swath with multicolored lights. However, I couldn't make anything out, my vision was way too red and lost to see anything besides blurry colors.

"Oh, god...you-your injuries..." His voice was filled with horror, "You're far worse than I thought...Who...who could've done this to you?" He asked as he laid me down on a soft surface. It was so comfortable that I could've gotten lost in it.

"K-kids..." I told him, "Kids...don't like...blue hedgehogs..." I started to shiver, a deep cold sprouting from deep within.

"You're blue? You look brown to me." He told me bluntly, his face seeming to study me, "That could just be the dirt and grim though...why don't I get you cleaned up, Maurice? Then I can try to pinpoint your injuries afterward."

"Okay..." I coughed, and he picked me up again, but this time, he put me over his shoulder like the young child that I was.

"How old are you, Maurice?" He wondered as he started some distant water for the bath. The steam was strange in my lungs, and for a moment, I had a coughing fit. Thankfully, it subsided and I was able to answer.

"I-I'm...six...six years..old." I choked as he set me in the soothing water. It was warm, and made the cold run away. Its crisp, dewy scent drew me back to the mortal realm, and it wafted through my fur, easing the pain a bit as Robotnik started to scrub me gently. The water started to turn redwood brown and my fur back to blue, "How old are you...Robotnik?"

"I'm twenty four, going on twenty five." He told me as he scrubbed, concentrating hard on where he scrubbed so he wouldn't hurt me any further, "My parents won't let me leave home until they deem me worthy of my father…" At first, he sounded sad, but then he laughed, "Ha ha, joke's on them. I like living here. What about you, do you have parents?" He stopped scrubbing and took me out of the bath, only to place me back in when he had replaced the water.

I shook my head, and watched his head sink, "oh...I'm so...sorry..." He apologized, his scrubbing more gentle than before.

"It's...okay. I don't know-where they are….one day...they just drop-dropped us off...and vanished..." I responded, "I-I guess...they didn't...want mutant..." My head slowly dropped.

"I'm sure that's not true, Maurice! I'm sure they loved you. Maybe… Maybe they just..." He couldn't think of anything to say, and at this point, it didn't matter to me.

"It doesn't matter...if they loved...us or-not. I'm on...my-own….now..." I choked, but he gripped my shoulders softly.

"No you're not! You can stay here with me! I could take care of you for as long as you need. I'm technically an adult now, so..." His eyes started to shift into view, and what I saw were the most beautiful, green eyes I had ever seen. They resembled that of the forest, intermixed with light green and dark to the point where they were more beautiful than any sacred gem. They were so filled with excitement at the idea that I would be staying, that I couldn't help but accept his offer, "Yes!" He whooped and let me go to dance around the room. Though an adult, he seemed to me a child that was never able to grow up.

I smiled as he continued, "We are going to be the best of friends, Maurice! Oh, and for the record, I like your blue fur, I think it looks cool! Those kids were just jealous of you!" He went back to the edge of the bathtub and continued to wash me happily.

My vision started to come back in small bursts, and I could now make out what he looked like and where I was. I was in a white bathroom, with a mirror opposite the bathtub near the open doorway. My clothes were on the ground next to it, and in it was my sorry reflection. I was extremely beat up, my emerald eyes stained red with blood that hadn't been fully cleared away.

Robotnik was another story. He was human and had messy, reddish hair with a freckled face. He was also very scrawny and wore clothes that were too big for him. Right now, he was wearing a stained, gray t-shirt, and baggy jeans. He was actually quite a handsome young adult, and his green eyes were absolutely stunning.

Eventually, all the muck was cleaned out of my quills and fur, and he emptied the bathtub for the last time. It had taken him seven washes in order to get me fully cleaned up.

My eyes were also finally cleared. I stared around the small, yet very nicely decorated bathroom. To the left of the tub was the sink with an engraved, redwood cupboard sitting right above it. The mirror seemed to have been removed form it and set beside the door in front of me, and to the tub's right was the toilet. It was blocked off from the door's view by a short wall.

He took me out of the bathtub and pulled some gauze out of the cupboard above the sink. He than began to wrap the gushing wounds around my chest, head, arms and legs.

Finished, he then took me back into the strange room with all the lights. Only, I could now see what this particular room was.

It was a large laboratory, with multicolored lights coming from the strange liquids he had in bottles all over the tables and desks that had been placed all around the walls. A large bed rested near the door, unmade and messy. The cement floor was covered with papers, and a small trashcan filled with crumpled pieces of paper sat beside the bed. In the middle of the room was a strange machine with a bed below it's large scanner-like thing. A TV was hooked up to it.

He placed me in the strange bed beneath the machine and went to the TV.

"What...is this for?" I asked him.

"Oh, that? It's just so that I can see why you were coughing up blood. I think you may have a few broken ribs and bones… I just want to make sure before I let you sleep." He told me kindly, flipping a switch on the TV. The machine reacted and it started to go over me slowly with a green, horizontal light.

"What happens...if I do?" I wondered, awaiting his answer.

"I'll just give you some pain medication and hope you heal correctly, Maurice." He said bluntly, "Kidding. I'll set the broken bones, then give you some ice for your ribs." He looked at me, "It's going to hurt if I have to set the bones, so I'll give you a numbing agent to keep you from passing out from the pain if there is more than one broken bone." I nodded and he went back to the screen. A few minutes passed in silence, then;

"Thank you, Robotnik...I've...never met someone as compassionate as you before." I said quietly.

"No sweat, Maurice, Same here. I've never met anyone like you either." He answered happily as he cracked his knuckles, "Welp, looks like you have two broken ribs, and a broken arm. That's better than I thought it was going to be, but I still have to set your arm." He told me, waking over to my left side.

"Hey, before you set the bone, could I ask you something?" I started as he picked up my left arm gently. I winced but didn't cry out.

"You can ask me tomorrow, when you're feeling better, okay. Then I can answer anything you want... promise." He put a large cloth in my mouth, and another over my eyes. Then, he snapped the bone back into place.

I screamed weakly, the scream muffled and lost to the dark walls of the basement. It had hurt so much that a couple tears fell from my eyes and I started shaking, almost violently.

He took the cloth off my eyes, and out of my mouth, and let me cry for a few minutes. He then took me to a hidden closet in the corner of the room and grabbed a small pair of pajamas. They had blue stars and moons flying across a black sky etched into the soft fabric.

"These were my pajamas when I was a baby, Maurice, but I think that they may fit you." He told me as he put me in them. They did fit, and quite comfortably, I may add. I was only six, so I can't blame them for fitting me.

I was taken to the large bed next to the doorway now, and he wrapped me in those blankets snug and tight, so that I couldn't move my arms or hurt myself any further. He also got a small pack of ice and placed it on the broken ribs.

"Get lots of rest, Maurice. I want you to feel better tomorrow, okay." He said, making sure that I couldn't move an inch.

"Okay, Doctor." I joked, "But, what about you? Isn't this your bed?" I coughed a bit.

"It's fine. I normally sleep at my desk or on the floor anyways. Besides, you need it more, my friend." I chortled lightly at that.

"Friend? Are we really...friends?" He nodded and I smiled, "Wow, I've never had a friend before..."

"Me neither. Why don't we be the best of 'em, huh?" He smiled too, and then we laughed happily.

This was just the beginning for us...soon after this little conversation, we fell asleep. He fell asleep at one of his desks and I shortly after him. This had been one of the best moments of my life. My first friend… Everyone before him had cast me out, or shoved me through the door. He, the son of an evil man, had let me in with open arms, and now calls me friend. Talk about a good Samaritan, I mean jeez. He's done more than anyone else in my life. Thank you, Robotnik.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 1:

I was falling. The wind rustled past my ears as I barely opened my eyes to stare at a passing shadow. I felt nothing but a severe, relentless pain in my tiny body. I felt no fear for my certain demise though, as I watched the cliff face leave me to drown. For I knew what lay below me. I could hear her crashing lullaby, and smell her salty-sweet perfume.

Though I feared her, I still knew no terror as I plunged into her open and waiting arms. The fight had left me...all feeling had begun to fade.

I hit the waves...no...they were gone.

Everything went black and before I realized; I could hear the melody of the wind and feel the soft grass beneath me. My heavy eyelids opened to reveal the sea of puffy gold, and the shimmering colors of purple, orange, and crimson that decorated the sky before me. Trees who resided in the far distance spoke to each other, bending and dancing as the shadows of night still covered them.

Though malignant in appearance, their words were that of family and friends and knew nothing of the mortal realm where I resided. They lived in peace; in a place where horror didn't exist, and terrors unimaginable to the innocent mind never formed.

I lay with my arms to my side and my legs splayed as if I had just fallen here. But this was not the case. I remembered drifting to sleep here, in the open beneath the eternally shining lanterns. Dropping from the cliff had just been a reoccurring nightmare that I'd been having for days now. Truthfully, it had lost its shock value, and was just another dream.

I turned o my side, my young arms now in full view. My right arm was as black as coal, and my left as white as freshly fallen snow. I wore soft, colorless gloves on both of my small hands, and golden rings were secured to my wrists like chains. I frowned at my contrasting arms, and slowly got up.

As soon as I got to my feet I stared at them, the wind creating waves of green below them and rippling through my divided fur. The rising sun warmed the quills of my back, the line of ebony and ivory going through the up-turned knives like a river. I wore red boots with metal soles; my ankles bound with the sister rings that still fettered my wrists.

I could feel the golden collar around my neck that had been fastened there a long time ago by someone I never knew. It had been sealed there for an unknown purpose, yet I never planned to undo that sacred, silver buckle that kept it secure as I was sure it was there for a very good reason.

I felt parched, and a little dizzy, so I listened to the sounds of the birds, the crickets, and to the whispers of the evergreens, hoping that I had rested near some sort of creek or small river. The din of bubbling water caught my left ear and without much hesitation I started towards it.

I had just traveled here last night to catch a breather. In truth, I didn't even know where I was, nor did I truly care. It had just been a nice spot to sleep. Guess I should probably count myself lucky I didn't get attacked, huh?

If you're wondering who I am, and why I'm here, well.. My name is Ko, and I'm a ten-year-old hedgehog. Or, at least I think I'm ten years old. My body doesn't really age, so, that's the age I've just kinda settled with. I'm only two feet and five inches tall, last time I measured myself, and I love to travel. As for what I'm doing here on this plain, walking to a bubbling stream of water in the woods at the crack of dawn...I don't really have an answer for that.

I've been wondering around this small world now for a very long time without any real purpose. I don't remember much about my past, and I'm not really sure if I want to. Every night, I'm haunted by feverish nightmares and visions that never made sense to me. The latest one, falling from the cliff while a shadow watched, was a good dream compared to some of the others.

I've talked to some of the inhabitants of this world called, Mobius, and they've told me that my nightmares and visions may be linked to my memories. If that's the case, I don't want to remember. The fact that I've been left to Oblivion's security might be a good thing, if not for anything else but my sanity.

My eyes searched the darkness of the forest as my feet continued forward. I held no fear of the dark. For she had become my friend during my travels. Her cloak kept me hidden from certain danger, and her whispers gave me warnings of Fate's twisted designs.

Fallen leaves crinkled beneath my step, and branches creaked above me as I drove on. Crows echoed a haunting song in the black foliage of the trees, the sky crimson with devilish intent behind them. Crickets and small critters joined in their wretched song till it blossomed into a wicked symphony. I listened to it, my eyes drooping with its soft tune; its lullaby of death.

Woe to the weary wanderer of the dawn, for to listen to this cradlesong would mean their demise. Yet to me, this song was one I had heard so many times that I could now sing it to myself. I had traversed many forests like this and in each one, they repeated the same song during the waking hours of daybreak. So I was used to this morbid scene and evil lullaby.

However, I knew that this evil would be drowned out by the light once the sun rose, and the happy tune of the mockingbirds would fill this forest with life and joy. It would probably happen once I reached the water source as I could now see the crimson slowly turning to dazzling gold in the sky.

It was a spectacular show and though normally I would watch the light conquer the darkness, I was very thirsty and wanted to drink something. The sun wasn't going to suddenly change his orbit and plunge us all into total darkness just because I didn't watch it come up this morning. I could always watch it tomorrow morning, and maybe then, I could wake up early enough to see all of it. My dream had kept me for too long last night, and made me miss the most beautiful part of it anyways.

After a few minutes of walking towards the sound, I finally found the water source. It was a little babbling brook nestled beneath a large oak in the middle of an evergreen forest. They were settled within a clearing, the changing sky now in full view as I stepped onto the divine, green grass that covered the clearing like a luscious blanket.

I could hear the little brook whispering stories to the old tree. Oh how I longed to understand it! I could only imagine the adventures it had while on its way to the vast sea. It could warn me of dangers it has met, and tell me interesting tales of the adventurers that happened upon it. That tree was so lucky.

Cautiously, I neared it, my shoes barely disturbing the creek's epic tale as the vegetation muffled the silver soles. Once I had gotten close enough to the edge, I laid myself down carefully beside it, and leaned on my right hand to trail my left in the soothing current.

My eyes drooped once more as I listened to the bard's tune, and tried to understand his lyrics. Though Mother Oak knew and tried to teach the song to me, I couldn't understand their language and soon just focused on the old music. It was the music of ages past that still rang true to those desperate souls who wondered the forest. Though none of these knew the story, they all knew the tune, and longed to find their way to it. These bards granted a safe haven to the passerby and were good hosts to the lost.

I remember the first time I had found such a stream. It had been my first time in the forest, and I had been crying, lost, and afraid. I had known nothing of the world besides images of a terrible place, and I had been drawn to that welcoming song. I remember dozing beside that little babbling brook as it sung me to sleep with an enchanting lullaby that even the crickets and birds couldn't compete against. It had been the first night of my living memory.

I lifted my hand from the current and rolled onto my belly to drink from the eternal fountain. It tasted as bliss and I couldn't help but drink more. As I drank, I noticed my eyes. They, much like my fur didn't match, with the left one being a pinkish red to match my white fur, and the right being made up of different variants of blue, yellow, red, purple, and green to go with the dark fur. Truthfully, I kind of liked my right eye. It was very pretty compared to my boring, left eye that only housed the color red. It reminded me of a chaotic rainbow, or maybe a really colorful sunset.

I could see my bare muzzle too in the crystal stream. My muzzle also couldn't decide on weather it was dark or light, and so it settled for darker, tanned skin on the right, and light, pale skin on the left. Well, at least I can't say that I'm one sided, as I have both.

My thirst finally satisfied, I thanked the stream and rolled back over to sit with my feet in the gushing water. It was so calming that I couldn't help it. I finally looked back up at the sky to see that I had missed the entire show. The blue sky greeted me with puffy, milky clouds and little birds that flew freely across its wide expanse.

Sometimes I wondered what it was like to fly… Well, I'm sure I'm not the only one, but I might be the only one to get close to doing so without a need for wings or jets.

See, the one thing I haven't mentioned is that I can run very, very fast. I don't know exactly how fast, but I can run so fast that I can't hear anything anymore; not even my own voice until a few minutes later. The world just slows down, and everything around me races at a snail's pace or just stops altogether. I can run great distances in a blink of an eye, and nobody even knows that I was there. To them, I was just a gust of wind, a shadow that was there for only an instant.

The only problem with that is that I'm always hungry. I don't really understand why, but when I travel long distances quickly without eating for a while, I feel faint or dizzy. So the only way to keep that from happening is to keep eating...easier said than done.

I'm a little girl, alone in the world, with a huge appetite. The only way I can get enough food to last is by stealing. Yeah, okay, I'm a thief. Trust me, I know that that's bad and I hate doing it, but I have no other choice. I don't have anyone to stay with, and I'm not old enough to get a job… I asked around. So the only choices for me are to either accept help from passing strangers or to take from unknowing market stalls. I do both actually.

Some Mobians I pass are kind and will offer me something to eat when they hear my stomach rumbling. I will normally accept their offer with gratitude. There are some people that are a little sketchy and I will try to avoid, but other than that, I'm quite happy to receive a piece of bread. It's so much better than stealing.

Actually, it was a very benevolent Mobian traveler that gave me my name. I had been walking down a road, completely alone in the dead of night when a tall, graying, blue hedgehog saw me. He had asked me my name, but I couldn't remember it. So he gave me the name Ko and said for me to call him Uncle Chuck. After that, he gave me a loaf of bread and went on his way. I haven't seen the kind hedgehog since.

Softly, I turned my face away from the sky to stare absently at the old oak that resided in front of me. She was beautiful. Her leaves shimmered and danced in the rays of light from the heavens, and her umber bark put that of the other trees to shame in hue and sheer beauty. I had never really known a tree so pretty...then again, I rarely stopped to look at trees. I don't think anyone really does.

My feet sploshed around as I lifted them onto the lush grass, watering the blades so that they glittered under the light of the new day. I then tried to stand, only to fall back down again onto my booty.

I felt so dizzy, as though I had just spun around in a circle for a while and then tried to run on an empty stomach. It was so bad that I thought I might throw up...but there was nothing to throw up. I hadn't eaten at all, last night or this morning. I had been hoping to get away with it, and hoping that this morning's sickness was just do to thirst, but I guess I was wrong.

Now what? I was too dizzy to even stand, much less run to the nearest village. Panic started to rise in my throat as I thought about the hunters of the forest. The idea of not being able to defend myself against them, or run away truly frightened me. I didn't even really know why.

 _Then why are you afraid?_

This dumb ignorance of my own fear calmed me, and I tried to stand once again. I found that the dizziness had somewhat subsided, and I could now stand. I heckled myself for the panic. How could I have been so stupid?

As this question ran through my scattered mind, I noticed something shining deep within the little babbling brook's rushing waters. It shone a purple light, and was very different from the surrounding river rocks or vegetation. Its light was warm, comforting. How could I have missed it before?

I slowly knelt down and reached out to touch the luminous object, my gloved hand feeling the refreshing water softly moving my left hand away. I ignored the gossiping stream and placed the albino fingers upon the large, purple rock. A wave of warmth entered my veins, and a barren feeling in my heart seemed to vanish as I lifted the pretty rock from the water and held it up so my ill-matched eyes could see.

It seemed to resemble ice that had been turned purple by the sunset. As I held it, a cold, empty feeling that I had never been able to shake just left, and took with it all my fear, doubt, and pain. My dizziness ceased, and I found that I could stand without any issue. I still felt hungry, but now, I also felt...happy.

I held it to my chest, the radiant warmth thawing out my icy heart. Suddenly, a lady's soft voice pierced through my mind.

 _Why are you so sad, Ko?_

I spun around, thinking that maybe someone had sneaked up on me while I was reaching for this rock...but there was no one there…

"Who...Who said that?" I asked, my nervous voice echoing around the small clearing.

 _I am Murasakino, but you can call me, Mura._

"Mura? Where are you, Mura?" My shaking voice had calmed, but I was still on guard.

 _I am close to your heart._

I looked down at the rock clasped to my chest, "You are the rock?"

 _Indeed. But please don't be afraid._

"Why would I be afraid?" I responded, holding the rock still closer.

 _Nevermind, darling._

I sat down on my shins in the grass and held the large amethyst up to eye level, "How do you know my name?"

 _You are my child, and as my child, I know you better than anyone around._

I was confused, "You're my mother? But I'm a hedgehog..."

 _Trust me, it's very complicated. I'll tell you when you're older._

I looked at her with confusion, "But I can't age, Mura."

 _Exactly._

For some reason, I started to giggle, then my giggles turned to laughter. Having never truly laughed before, the concept was foreign to me. Yet I still kept laughing, the cold completely melting away from my heart. Mura seemed pleased by this and warmed me still further till I was very happy and comfortable in her presence.

 _You are hungry...are you not?_

She asked this as my laughter started to die down, and with this question came a very annoying grumble from my impatient belly. I blushed as I nodded to her inquiry.

 _There's a village just down the way. Follow this gracious stream north and it'll lead you straight to it._

I heeded her advice and started to walk up along the brook's babbling edge. Mura was such a kind and soothing presence that I couldn't help but trust her. Besides, I was really hungry, and the idea of a village nearby was a relief.

My feet touched woodland ground once more as I trounced beneath the evergreens, their thick branches blocking out the sky. Despite this, beams of light shone through, casting an otherworldly glow on the forest floor. Spores shot out from beneath my silver soles and caught the light in a way that made them glitter and shine all around me. I could hear the melody of the chipper birds, and feel the wind as it danced along to the beat of the joyous song. The air smelled of fresh mint and the soothing sound of the bubbling water below me.

I stepped over large roots that fed from the small stream and tried my best to keep my balance through the mushy soil that tried to keep my feet contained. All the while, I still held Mura in my hand, her warm glow putting the spores' glow to shame.

 _Tell me, my child. Have you taken a bath recently?_

I climbed over an unusually high root, my voice labored as I responded, "What's a bath?" I had never heard of such a thing, and I was certain I had never done it.

 _A bath, Darling, is when you get yourself clean while in running water. Normally, Mobians will do this in their homes with a bath tub or shower. However, you can do this by cleaning yourself in a large river or beneath a waterfall._

My eyes looked to her for a second before continuing over yet another large root, "Oh..."

 _What's wrong, Ko?_

She sounded genuinely concerned with my silence, "I...I don't really like large bodies of water. I mean..." I stopped and held her out to face me, "I don't mind little streams...I'll let my feet and hands soak in one of those. I just...I can't stand large rivers, or lakes. They make me feel...uneasy." I gulped as I said that last part. As I was telling her this, I could feel her thinking.

 _Hmm...I think I understand. Come child, let us continue. We're nearing the village._

"Do I need to be clean, Mura?" I started walking again, my eyes on the ground and the beautiful rock to my heart.

 _Well, yes...if you want to be healthy._

"What's healthy?" My eyes drifted to her for a second before returning to the path.

 _Healthy is a state of being where you aren't ill or hurt. When you're healthy, it's harder for you to become sick. If you don't keep clean, the tiny strangers that cling to your fur and quills while you travel can cause you to feel bad and make you unhealthy. That is something we don't want._

"So I can get rid of these 'tiny strangers' if I take a bath?" I wondered, crawling beneath an arching root that was too big to climb over.

 _Exactly. Maybe we can ask someone at this village if you could use their bath._

I nodded, and we fell into silence. The fallen branches of the trees creaked slightly as I stepped on them. I didn't seem to be heavy enough to break them, and in some ways, I was happy for that as it would be very loud if I did.

 _Ko...I must warn you against letting me be seen among the villagers._

I stopped, Mura's warning confusing to me, "How come?"

 _There are some evil beings out there, precious, that would love to take me away. They would use me to hurt you and others. It's better for both of us that I am not seen by anyone._

"Where should I hide you? I...I don't want to leave you behind." I had only just met her, but for some reason, I didn't want to be separated from her. I didn't want that empty pain and ice to return to my heart.

 _You could hide me in your quills. That way, You won't have to worry about it._

I nodded and quickly hid her within my unkempt quills. I knew that she would indeed be safe there as my quills were as hard as stone and sharp as knives. They could hold her light weight easily. In fact, she was barely noticeable as the contrasting spines kept her secure.

"How's that?" I asked once I had finished placing her so she couldn't fall out.

 _Very good, Ko. Onward to the village!_

She said that last part with such a goofy voice that I giggled. We were moving again, the end of the woods now within eyesight. I could see a beautiful light at the end of the green tunnel, and beyond that, what looked to be the rippling green grass of the eternal plain on the other side of the forest.

I stepped over a few more sticks and crawled beneath another hanging root, a light breeze aiding me through. Before I knew it, I was on the edge of the grassland, ready to take the first step on the strange, new ground. I steeled myself, and took a step forward.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 2

I opened my heavy eyes to a savory, tasty smell that made my mouth water a little. The sun shone through the door's little windows, and all the lights were off, including the strange lights from the tables.

I started to turn my head, wondering where Robotnik went. I didn't have to turn far though as he was right at the edge, watching me sleep with a platter of interesting food in his hand. Suffice-it to say, I jumped, then groaned in pain at my own stupidity.

The food looked like a bun with a stick of meat in it, and on top of that was brown stuff that smelled really good.

"Did I startle you, Maurice?" He asked, almost dropping the platter at my sudden movement, "Sorry, it was dumb to sit this close..."

"It-s o-okay." I managed, my only good hand going to my chest, "I was the dumb one. Jumping at every little thing...I'm a mess." He smiled at this, and brought the platter forward.

"Hungry? I don't know if you like these, but-" He started, fingering one, but I cut in.

"What are they?" I asked, my arm leaving my chest to reach for one. He handed it to me with a huge smile.

"They're called Chili-Dogs, and they're my favorite food!" He told me, and I knew why as soon as I took a bite. It was delicious! I had never had anything so good in my life, and these! Oh, they made my life!

A huge smile spread over my face as I stuffed my face with the chili-dog, "Dis es amasing! Zank you, Robotnik!" I exclaimed with a full mouth.

"You really are something else! Nobody at my school likes these but me." he told me, and I looked at him in confusion.

"What is school?" I replied curiously, but then dropped my question as I took another, "This is incredible! Did you make these?" I inquired as I gobbled it down and continued to take more. It was like I was taking a bite of spicy heaven!

"Yeah, it's a family recipe, and wow, slow down! I don't want you to choke." He said as I took a fourth and then a fifth, "Wow, nobody has ever enjoyed my cooking before."

"O, breally? Tis iz amaazing! Ow comb?" My cheek were filled with chili-dogs.

"None of the kids I know like chili-dogs." He said bluntly, putting the platter on the table beside him. Out of the fourteen he made, only seven remained.

"Dat iz bogus. Kiz r men." I told him, swallowing my final bite, then patting my belly with a satisfied sigh, "Thank you, man, I owe you one." I said, looking at his amazing eyes with gratitude.

"Heh, actually, I'm glad I could help. You don't owe me anything, Maurice." He smiled happily, "Well, I should probably change those bandages before they turn too red." He giggled. I looked down and noticed that they _were_ turning red...I guess getting jump-scared ripped some stuff open.

He picked me up gently and slowly as though afraid of tearing anything else, then took me back to the bathroom. However, when he turned the bathtub on to clean my wounds this time, an old fear of drowning came back. Yeah, I'm afraid of the bathtub, get over it.

I started to shake violently, and clung to his shoulder, "Is there something wrong, Maurice?" He asked, noticing the change in my grip.

"I-I hate to say this...but..I'm afraid..." I gulped as he stared at me in utter muddiness, "I'm afraid...of-water…." I blurted out.

"Oh…" He realized, "But this is just a bathtub...you were fine before-"

"I was half-dead." I responded, now gripping his sleeve so hard that it hurt.

"Well, I have to clean your wounds somehow, and this is the easiest and least painful way. The other way is to use something called, Hydrogen Peroxide, and I can tell you that you wouldn't like that way: not with how many scratches and nicks that you've sustained." He told me kindly, but I could hear the power in his voice, "Why don't you close your eyes, and relax." He decided.

I looked to the tub, but then into his earnest eyes, and I slowly closed mine. There was no reason to be afraid as long as he was around. I flinched at the water's touch, but then started to relax as the warmth and security of it soothed my tormented soul. I dared not open my eyes, but instead listened to my friend, and felt his large hands as he gently undid the bandages and scrubbed my wounds.

 _I am safe._

"So, why are you afraid of water?" I heard his deep, resonating voice, and felt reassured. Despite this, the images that flooded into my mind made me shiver with an icy cold. My lesions started to hurt worse as I thought about the darkness of a slowly filling tank….screaming...crying...I couldn't break free...I couldn't breathe…

Suddenly, Robotnik's voice broke through, "Maurice! Hey, what's wrong?" I opened my eyes to find that I was on the bathroom floor still covered in soap. I was shaking uncontrollably, while tears ran down my pink cheeks.

I stared at the ground for a moment before chortling in relief.

 _What had happened? Did…_

I silenced my thoughts, now focusing on Robotnik's panicked voice, "Are you okay? Maurice, please answer!" He had turned me over to face him so that I was laying on my back. My quills promptly became soft and moved to either side of my small body.

"Sorry..." My apology both confused him and gave him relief, "I'm okay...just...reliving some...memories." He seemed to understand as he lifted me back up and looked me over, "You can finish...bathing me..." I told him. I had become so tired and calm all of a sudden. I was so calm that I didn't even close my eyes when he placed me back in the water. I was so tired that I couldn't even process the fear of it.

"So...bad question to ask, huh?" He said sarcastically, now barely scrubbing me at all. He seemed afraid that I would to that same thing again. But I just giggled at his joke.

We remained silent for the rest of the bath, the gears in his head seemingly turning. I knew he wanted to know why I did what I did...but I couldn't say anything. For as nice of a guy as he is... _he might take me back._

He took me out of the bath, the water scattering on the ground like shattered glass. I imagined it stabbing my feet, wondering if it could do that.

"Hey, Maurice...you okay bro?" He asked as I stared at the glass. I looked up, bandages in his hands.

I nodded slowly, and he started to re-wrap my wounds carefully. But now, he eyed me suspiciously.

"Somethings wrong, Maurice...I just don't know what yet." He stated, his large hands delicate and soft as they slowly draped the gauze around my skinny arms and legs.

"I...Nothings wrong, Dr. Robotnik." I responded, holding up my arms so he could reach easier. He held up one eyebrow, but dropped the subject.

"SO, YOU LIKE CHILI-DOGS?" He said in a funny, loud voice after he had finished; he had pulled his face to make it look hilarious! I burst out laughing, the fear of revealed secrets melting away with the water. He too also laughed. He then he grabbed lots of toilet paper from the roll next to the toilet, and put it against his face so that it mimicked a white mustache. He then danced around the room with a funny face talking with the silly, loud voice, "MY NAME IS DR. EGGMAN, AND I WILL BE YOUR DOCTOR TODAY! PLEASE STAND BY AS I GRAB THIS...OH NO, THAT'S NOT RIGHT!" His act had me rolling with laughter as he hobbled around like an old man, grabbing goofy stuff that made absolutely no sense.

Eventually he stopped, looked at my bandages again to make sure they were secure, then picked me back up. I had a big, happy smile on my face, and when I looked, he did too.

He started back to the bed, about to place me down when a large shout echoed throughout the room, "IVO! I'M BACK, SWEETHEART!" We looked at each other, and within a heartbeat, Robotnik had hidden me in his closet. It was stuffy in there, and to make sure I could breath, he allowed a small crack in the door. It was through this that I could see as well.

"YEAH, MOM! HOW Was work?" Though at first loud, his voice fell to the softness that I knew, and I turned the door slowly to look at who he was talking to.

I saw a huge lady in a short, pink dress and a blue designer's hat. She had crimson eyes, and perfectly white skin. Was that his mother? He looked nothing like her…

"Oh, it was tiresome, like always, Sweet Pea." She commented, walking to the bed and laying on it. I could hear something snapping beneath her. Was she really that heavy? She didn't look that bad, in fact, if it hadn't been for Robotnik's tip and her angry voice, she could've been a great mother -if I went by looks alone, that is.

I fell to my knees, unable to stay standing due to pain..Why did it have to hurt so much? I cupped my hand over my mouth, determined to keep quiet, while my other hand went into keeping the door open.

"Ivo, dear, your father has asked me to ask you something." She decided, looking up into his face. He blanched.

"What's up, Mamma?" He responded. I could tell it was uncomfortable for him to talk about his father...especially to his mother. Why had he been so open with me? Had it been because I was going to die?

"Your father seems to have lost...an experiment." She tip-toed around the words, seemingly afraid of exposing Robotnik to anything darker, "He was wondering if you've seen any...strange individuals running around?" She asked it like a question, and closed her eyes for the response.

I saw a flash of worry in Robotnik's eyes, their rich hue turning to where I was hiding before returning to his mother's question, "No mamma. I haven't seen any strange people. They all bully me the same."

At this his mother looked back up, but there was annoyance in her eyes, "You won't be getting sympathy from me, boy." She decided, "You're letting them bully you. If you want them to stop, make them stop." She got up and headed for the stairs, "No one's going to stop them for you. Take it from me." She continued to the door, her voice echoing down the stairs, "Kids are cruel, so be crueler. Show them that you aren't one to mess around with….That's what I did." She was gone.

Robotnik stared after her, a relieved look in his eyes. He then turned to the closet and ran to get me. Once I was in his arms, he looked at me worriedly, "Maurice...were you..." He couldn't seem to find the words, "Nevermind." He dropped it, and I became curious. What did he want to ask me?

He set me back down on the bed, his eyes drifting away from me in deep thought as he sat down.

"What is it, Robotnik?" I asked, my puny voice small compared to his mother's.

"Don't worry about it, Maurice." He sat down in the chair and leaned against his arm. He looked so...upset and thoughtful. I couldn't understand what was wrong.

Minutes passed, then hours, then days. Before long, my bones had healed, and my wounds faded. Good thing too, because it was Robotnik's birthday when the last trace of pain receded. I remember his face! He was speechless when I was completely healed on the third day of my stay.

"That's...that's impossible!" He cried as he examined my small body on his scanner for the millionth time, "You can't have healed that quickly! You were about to die just seventy-two hours ago!" His face was silly as his jaw had been down the entire morning.

"You've taken very good care of me, Robotnik! I'm not surprised I healed this quickly." He blushed at my words, and cleared his throat.

"Well...okay. I guess it's normal." He conceded, his hand rubbed beneath his nose. I watched in fascination of the movement and copied. He didn't notice my interest in this nervous movement, and decided to head to the stairs.

"Where are you going?" I asked, hopping off the large surface. I hadn't used my legs in a while, and it hurt a bit when I landed. I bit my tongue and stood up.

"You okay?" He asked and I nodded, still waiting for his answer, "I'm going upstairs to get my presents and cake." He told me, and I became confused.

"Why do you get cake and presents? Is today somehow special?" This question shocked him.

He took a step toward me, an arm reached out protectively, "It's my birthday...do you know what that is, Maurice?" I shook my head.

"A birthday is a celebration of your birth." He explained carefully, "Do you know the date of your birth?" He started to walk back toward me and knelt down so that he was at least above my head.

"I've never had a birthday, and they never told me when I was born." I responded sadly, my eyes falling to the floor. His hand rested upon my shoulder and rubbed it reassuringly.

"Well, I know your birthday!" He said excitedly, making me look up into his beautiful eyes, "Your birthday is today, June 23rd!" My heart rose and a smile bloomed on my face as I realized his meaning, "Now, I'll go get some cake for the both of us, and I'll bring down a present for you!" He smiled warmly, and removed his hand to walk back to the staircase, "Happy Birthday, Maurice!"

"Wait!" I ran to grab his hand, making him stop and look at my sparkling, emerald eyes, "You can call me Sonic! Maurice is too formal." I nestled against his leg, my quills softening so he could pet them, which he did, "Thank you, Robotnik!"


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

I put my small hand above my eyes, the new light blinding in its everlasting glory. I heard the light crunch of the fading grass, and smelled their awakening perfume. The cloying wind played with my split fur, and toyed with my quills as though wanting to play with my new friend, Mura. I ignored it as I stared across the valley, my eyes wide in wonder.

It was covered with dark blooms of purple and blue, a shadowed village far in the distance. I could see the faint plumes of smoke rising from the chimneys of humble homes; the wind whispering of their occupants. The heavy sound of working wood on water filled the quiet air, and I couldn't help but stare down at the creek beside me.

It broke across the valley, and became bigger and bigger as it reached out to the village until it was a small, peaceful river. I shrunk back, the idea of being beside such a thing intimidating to me.

 _Ko? What happened?_ I heard her words, but there wasn't much to answer. I was just being silly.

"Nothing." Was my response, "I'm just not used to being without my speed." I lied about the true reason, but at the same time, I was also telling the truth. My speed was what I relied on most of all, and to be without it was terrifying. I had no clue what I was going to do if someone decided I was good for their punching bag, much less what I was going to do to get my speed back. If there was no good Samaritan in town, then I would either have to steal, or starve...I'd hate to do either.

 _Don't worry, child. I'll protect you if anything goes wrong, okay._ How she was going to do that, I had no clue. But I was thankful for her words anyhow.

I nodded and stepped out onto the emerald sea, my eyes scanning around reflexively for anything dangerous. That's when I heard an angry growl behind me.

"Hey! Where'd you get that emerald, kid?" I froze, the tone violent, "Don't you know that stealing's wrong?" I slowly turned around, my mind racing as to who it might be. I knew that was useless though considering that I didn't really know anybody.

My mismatched eyes fell upon a red echidna with violet eyes and drooping spines arranged like dreadlocks. His muzzle was a peach color and his chest bore what looked like a boomerang-shaped white spot. His hands sported spiked knuckles with white gloves and his feet were clothed with red and yellow shoes that had green cuffs and gray sex-tuple-bolted plates on top. The wind had stopped it's joyous rant, the echidna's angry eyes enough to quell it.

"You're tall..." I mumbled, to which he nodded. He looked to be at least a foot and a half taller than me if not more. It was almost like he was built to be threatening!

"Well, out with it, tiny! Where'd you get the emerald?" He seemed a bit calmer with the compliment, but I didn't want to push it; especially without my speed.

"I-I didn't steal it, sir! I found it in the creek!" I said truthfully, but he didn't seem to buy it.

He smirked, a chortle escaping his lips as he continued, "Nice try, but I'm not dumb enough to fall for that one, kid." He crossed his arms and leaned against the tree beside him, "Either way, hand it over." He closed his eyes.

"She's not yours-" I started but he wouldn't have it.

"She? And you clearly don't know who you're talking to." I cocked my head, because no, this red terror was not familiar to me, "I am Knuckles the Echidna, the guardian of the chaos emeralds," He opened his eyes as though to watch my reaction to this vain title, "and you happen to be holding one of them in your quills." My eyes opened wide, but then I remembered something. Why hadn't Mura told me of him before if this was true? This time, I was smirking.

"Liar. You just want her for yourself." I decided, my voice and face bored with his eccentric introduction. His eyes opened wide at my response, but instead of getting angry again, he stared at me in confusion.

"Why do you resemble _him_?" He asked, now staring into my eyes deeply, "Tell me something, tiny," I was taken off guard by this. Was it something on my face?

"Do you know Sonic the Hedgehog?" But before I could answer, he laughed, "What am I saying, of course you know him. You must be one of his fans, right?" I was about to answer again, but he continued, "That's how you could pull off his signature bored smirk!" He had closed his eyes again, this strange conversation carrying on beneath his breath, "I wish kids would get over that goof, and maybe respect a real hero...like me.."

I was shaking my head, "Um...sir..I have no clue who you're talking about..." I interjected to which his eyes became chromatic platters.

"Where have you been, tiny, under a rock?" He asked incredulously, "I haven't ever before met a single child who hasn't, and I've traveled across the world." He thought for a second, "Maybe you've seen him somewhere?"

I shrugged, "What does he look like?"

"He's a blue hedgehog with emerald eyes." He told me, and I froze. I remember someone like that…

We were running, and I was holding his hand. The walls were hazy and gray, and our footsteps echoed on the twisted air. It was so bright, but I couldn't see ahead of us.

"So close! We're almost there, *******!"

But his name wasn't Sonic.

"****, Please, hurry! They're catching up!"

He was crying.

"I won't let them get you, *******! Not now, not ever again!"

We were the same age, and he was the only thing I had.

Now the scene changed, and he was holding my hand. Behind me was darkness, and in front of me a blue light. I was being pulled by the darkness away from _him_.

"Please, ****, don't let go..."

He was pleading, but I knew the ending.

"Enjoy the world for me, would you? That would mean everything to me."

"****..."

"Goodbye...Maurice."

I let go, and everything fell away into a blinding white light… It was frightening, and it burned.

I was falling, falling, falling…

"Ouch!" I yelped as my eyes flew open. I was on the ground, upside-down, and my head was throbbing. I clumsily rolled into a sitting position and rubbed the affected area.

Had that been another dream? I didn't remember falling asleep...last time I checked, I had been talking to that echidna and-

My eyes widened as I remembered what had happened. Where was I?

I scanned my surroundings and found that I sitting in a large bedroom with stone walls and elegant furniture. The bed that I had apparently fallen out of was properly made with royal red blankets and pillows; the frame the mattress sat on was old, yet beautifully carved at the same time. There was a large matching wardrobe opposite the bed and a large wooden door to the left of it. A lush, crimson carpet was lain on the timber floor, and to the right of me was a dark fireplace for when this lonely room became cold.

Dust settled on my confused muzzle making me sneeze. The small sound echoed across the empty room.

Where was Knuckles?

Suddenly panic seized my innocent heart as I felt around in my quills. Relief then flooded my system as I felt the smooth surface of Mura.

 _Hello, precious. Are you okay?_

I nodded, but the question arose, "Who was that guy, and why did he claim to be your guardian?" She chuckled.

 _That would be because he is._

I took her out of my quills and stared at her, "Why didn't you tell me?" I cried, "And if that's the case, then why did you want to come with me? Don't you belong to him?" She felt so warm as she responded, and I could tell that she was smiling.

 _Ko, just because he's my guardian doesn't mean he owns me. I can do what I please, and at this point, what pleases me is being with you, and he knows that._

"What do you mean?"

 _He's the one who brought you here, and he just went down to get you something to eat. I talked with him after you passed out._

"I passed out?" My mind was reeling, "For how long?"

 _About an hour. He knew about this abandoned castle and brought you here to avoid attention in the surrounding villages._

I placed her in my lap and played with her sharp edges, "So the tough hot-head has a soft spot?"

 _You have no idea! He's actually quite gullible at times._ She was laughing during this response. I guess she's known him for a while. That _would_ make sense considering his occupation.

"Why were you in the river?" This question had been bothering me for a while, and I felt her sigh.

 _Let's just say that my last owner lost me along with my brothers and sisters. We're all scattered at the moment, and Knucks has been trying to find us along with our previous owner. They're actually racing to see who can get more of us._

"How many of there are you?" My eyes were wide at this new development.

 _There are seven of us. I am Murasakino, and I have four brothers and two sisters. Their names all correspond to their colors..and personalities: Midori, Ao, Takoizu, Ki, Shiro, and Aka. They are all benevolent souls, but I know that especially Aka can become violent. To have us all in one place is dangerous. This is the reason why our previous owner separates us._

"You mean...he's done it before?" I felt like I was liking this 'owner' less and less. I couldn't understand why someone would toss such a kind crystal into a river, alone and unloved...more than once! What would have happened if a bad mobian found her first? Then what? Was he really that careless?

I think Mura noticed my scrunching nose because she glowed in understanding.

 _I know that he doesn't sound the best right now, but he did have a reason. Sometimes he had to separate us in order to keep us safe._

Still didn't sound right, but I decided to drop the subject, "Knuckles seems to be taking a while..."

 _He is...I hope he's okay._

It was the first time I had heard worry in her voice, "Were we followed?"

 _No...it's just that this castle doesn't seem very friendly._

I shifted, the walls seeming to listen in on the conversation, "Do you know this castle?"

 _Yes...and I also know that there's something wrong with it._

I carefully got up, placed her in my quills, and started walking to the door, my shoes making no noise on the luxuriant carpet.

 _The owners, two esteemed hedgehogs, both died one after the other after they lost their children in a freak accident. Ever since then, anyone who comes in just disappears. Knuckles doesn't believe in that stuff which is why he brought us here, but…_

I felt a cold shiver go up my spine as I imagined such a thing, "I..want to go check on him.." I decided. She didn't say anything, but I could feel her warmth in agreement, and I opened the huge, elegant door.

I raced down the endless halls, Mura's direction my only map. The halls all looked the same, with blue carpets and decaying stone walls. The flights of stairs were stone, but they were jagged and dangerous to traverse. I loved it, all the excitement...but I didn't know why.

I wished that I could run faster, but my hunger kept me sedated, and slow.

I finally reached the kitchen to find one upright echidna cooking a full meal on the stove in a huge metal pot. The guy had a pink, frilly apron on that clashed against his red fur, and he had pulled his dreadlocks into a really spiky, dangerous pony tail. If anything, I had more respect for him then ever before. What kind of man is manly enough to put on pink frilly stuff and pull it off all the while cooking dinner? That echidna is manly!

He seemed to have noticed me though as he stated, "Hold your horses, tiny, it's almost ready." His voice wasn't angry anymore, but instead was just deep and very masculine. Some might perceive it as an angry voice, but it really wasn't. It was just proud.

"Thank you, Mr. Knuckles. Mura explained everything to me." He tasted the food then reach toward a little canister on the counter. It was too far to read the label.

"Mura, huh?" He grumbled busily, "Is that what she calls herself?" He just kept stirring, "I didn't know you could speak to her. There's only one other than me that I've caught doing just that, and you passed out at his description." He stopped stirring and turned off the heat, "I'm guessing...you have seen him?" He turned to look at me, but I could only stare at the dark, crumbling ligneous floor.

"I know someone like him..." My boot was rubbing into the floor, and for some reason, I felt guilty, "But 'Sonic' wasn't his name."

He raised an eyebrow, "What was his name?" He had crossed his arms and was leaning against the counter, and I had closed my eyes, desperate to remember my dream.

As I tried to remember the name from my vision, I felt something petting my ear. It was cold, yet it was also comforting. How did Knuckles get behind me from where he was? Why was he petting my ear?

This disrupted my train of thought and I opened my eyes to see him still standing there waiting for a response…

Then, what was petting my ear?

"Knuckles...is there something behind me?" I whispered, too afraid to turn around.

"No, why?" He had suddenly become alert, and strained to see anything out of the ordinary.

"I feel something petting my ear...it's cold." I shivered, hoping that it was just my imagination. That's when it started to massage both of my ears, and I knew there was something there. It was comforting, but at the same time, terrifying as I started to walk toward Knuckles, hoping for some sort of protection against this shadow.

He didn't complain as I tried to get behind him as he still leaned against the counter nonchalantly. But as soon as I touched his leg, I realized that he too had gone cold.

He was frozen.

This hit me like a rock to the face, "Knuckles?" I said his name several times, but he didn't answer. It had to have been a joke.

I jumped out in front of him and shouted his name at the top of my lungs. But he didn't respond. His eyes didn't blink, and he was still in an alert position.

"Why?" I asked, "Mura, are you there?" There was no answer. I was alone.

Silently, I sunk down to my knees. Is this how all those others disappeared? Will I disappear too? I touched my warm cheeks to find little tear drops falling down my face on my white side. My black side never cried, and I didn't really understand why.

"Oh, my child..." A female voice broke through the lonely void, and my ears pricked up immediately.

"Who's there?" I was breathing fast, and the tears wouldn't stop flowing.

"You've changed...so much.." Her voice was tired, depressed, and I felt a hand on my dark shoulder, my ear being massaged once again, "If I had known...You should never have suffered...I was to blame..." A memory was all she was now, a shadow of who she used to be holding on to one more sentence, "I'm sorry for your broken road...it was never yours to fix." An apology, held onto for the remainder of her afterlife, and a reminder to those who knew the rest of her story. I felt her hug and saw her emerald eyes, "The others have gone...only I remained." A tear fell, "Goodbye, my beautiful child."

She was gone, and I was left shivering on the floor. My crimson eye was still crying, and now, Knuckles could see it.

He looked at me in absolute shock. Time had fractured for him so he knew nothing of what had just transpired, but he could tell that it had happened.

"What happened?" He cried out in alarm, reaching out to me. However, he decided against it, and instead turned to his meal, "Umm...would a meal help?" I knew he was trying, and I was grateful. I accepted his gesture with a nod and he quickly got a bowl, washed it, and filled it with soup. He then handed it to me, and sat facing me to watch and see if I liked it.

I stared at the delicious smelling contents for a second before tasting it. Then I tasted it again...and again. Before long, I had drained the entire bowl, the echidna seemingly happy with my enthusiastic slurps and awakening smile. It was amazing! Better than anything I had eaten thus far. Of course, I didn't have much to compare it to, but the spices he used and the heat were perfect.

"Can I have some more?" He gladly got me more, and I slurped that down too. Before long, I had slurped down all but the one bowl that Knuckles got of the soup. It was so good, and filling that by the end of my twenty-second bowl, I fell over in satisfaction. I had also never been this full before. I was sure that this soup would last me at least a couple days if not more. I felt so happy. I felt like I could run forever!

"Satisfied yet?" Knuckles was still eating his first and only bowl, the show of watching me eat twenty-two of them enough to have that even set aside for a minute, "How long has it been since you've eaten?"

"A couple days." I sat up and wiped my face, the red juice now all over my arm. He promptly got me a napkin, and sat back down, cross-legged. The floor groaned slightly beneath his weight.

"A couple days, huh?" Suddenly something dawned on him, "Where's your parents?"

"I don't have any." I practically whispered, "Mura's the only one who's gotten close..I guess." It also dawned on me that I didn't really know what a parent was supposed to do, or what their purpose was.

He was suddenly very thoughtful, "Do you have anywhere to go, tiny?" I shook my head, "Then why don't you stay with me for a bit? At least until we can find you a suitable guardian." I was uncertain, so I didn't answer.

We sat in silence for a few minutes.

"Hey..just a hypothetical question...How fast do you run?" I was stunned, the question so random.

"Pretty fast..why?" I was truly confused.

"Could you show me..now that you're fed?" He asked this as though it were extremely important, and I saw no reason not to show him despite the small area.

I got up and started racing around the room so fast that everything became still around me. Even his face was slow as a shocked reaction started to manifest muscle by muscle. It was hilarious to watch and I broke out laughing on the roof. Safe to say, I fell to the ground still laughing, the impact cushioned by my soft, upright quills.

I turned to look at him after my giggled had subsided, and he could only stare in astonishment. At first, I had thought that he had frozen again, but he was blinking and breathing this time.

"I think I know who to ask for help." He decided, the impact of what he had just witnessed still hitting him. He regained himself after a few minutes and started to mumble to himself. I approached to listen, and sat right beside him to stare at him in wonder.

"But she's not blue...who could have been the mother? It certainly isn't Amy.." He still continued despite my listening, "He's never spoken of a sister...so...Why does she have this coloring?" He just kept mumbling on and on and on. Before long I had begun to fall asleep.

I was in darkness, a light shining from nowhere.. It was filling..the tank was filling! I couldn't breathe...I couldn't...I was screaming...I was crying….nobody was coming..

"Hey! Get ahold of yourself!" Knuckles was shaking me, and I realized that tears were flowing down my face from _both_ eyes, "You were screaming! What happened?"

"I fell asleep." I told him, and he seemed very concerned.

"This happens every time you fall asleep?" He released my arms, and instead started to pet behind my ears. I was grateful for it, and so didn't stop him.

"Yeah..just with different nightmares." I wasn't even fazed by it, as this had happened more times than I can count. I was just happy there was someone else here this time.

I hugged him, and he allowed it. He didn't really hug me back, but he petted my spines, and that was enough.

"Come on, tiny, let's go to Sonic's. He'll know how to take care of you." He picked me up, and carried me out of the empty, Forgotten Castle.

Sorry about the wait, I've been recovering from school. But I do intend to finish this story! Thank you all for the nice comments and support. You've been amazing. This actually started as just an exercise and I had no clue that so many of you would take interest, so Thank You. And I will see you, in the next chapter! By Bye!


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

I was falling, falling away into consciousness as my aching body awoke. I was shaking with pent up adrenaline, yet also numb to the world I was waking up to.

My emerald eyes slowly opened, and I realized I was curled up on a metal ground, the shadows of darkness dancing endlessly on the stone walls. Familiar voices cried out my name, 'Sonic!'… 'Faker!', but for a few moments, I couldn't remember who those voices belonged to.

I shot up and looked around, my mind registering who was talking...it was Amy and...Shadow.

I was in the middle of the small room, chained heavily to the cold, alloy ground. I was aware of the dense collar around my neck and the steal irons that cuffed my arms and legs. The dull feeling of sedatives kept my mind from caring, but deep down, I was panicking. My legs' speed were the only way any of us would be able to escape. Whoever did this seemed to know that.

Could it be my Arch-nemesis, Robotnik? I never thought him capable of this level of abuse, but I wouldn't put it past him.

My friends were in two of the many dark cages in the walls, and they were screaming for me to wake up.

"Sonic? Are you okay?" Amy was crying, and I couldn't help but recognize that she too was chained down. But thankfully not as heavily, and she didn't look sedated either. I looked up at her, putting on a brave, cocky face as I answered.

"Yeah, I'm good." But the pink hedgehog in a soiled red dress with beautiful green eyes only sobbed harder. I was confused until the black hedgehog elaborated, his dull, crimson eyes watching me with annoyance. He seemed to be drugged as well as chained like me. Although, he was chained to the walls of the cage instead of the floor.

"The hell you are." His golden rings glinted on his gloved wrists, and I could just barely see the red on his quills, arms, and legs as he carefully leaned against the side of the container, the chains around him chinking together as he did. He refused to show any sign of weakness despite this and his obvious sedation, "You were brought in here broken and bleeding: Not to mention Comatose." His eyes were boring into me as he studied my chest. I couldn't help but look down at my breast as well, but I saw nothing wrong with it. It was cleanly shaven, but other than that, it was fine, "Now you don't even have a scratch..."

"Maybe..it wasn't his blood?" Amy was hopeful as she wiped her eyes, "Maybe..it was just oil...it was black." Shadow still didn't look convinced, but he let it drop.

"Maybe." Was all he said as he backed into the corner of his cage so I couldn't see him. So edgy.

The last thing I remembered was fighting a large amount of strange black robots near Tail's, my dear fox friend's lab. I remember their numbers getting too overwhelming...then-

I closed my eyes and rubbed my chest reflexively. I had gone into my Super Form with the chaos emeralds, but one of them managed to get close. I couldn't fully remember what happened after that. What I do remember are flashes of brutality and pain. The chaos emeralds all left me, and I blacked out.

I opened my eyes again, the shattered memories fading. But where was the blood? If I had been that badly injured, why were the floor, my gloves, and my fur completely clean?

"Where's the blood?" I asked, looking to the shadow in the right cage. He shifted, the chains rattling in response but denied to look at me during his spiel.

"A guy dressed in a black robe and a matching gas mask came in earlier and cleaned both you and the cage up. I couldn't see his eyes or anything else, but I know it isn't Dr. Eggman...he was much too slim." I froze, but he continued, his eyes now searching my terrified expression for its cause, "My guess was that he didn't want you to know of your injuries." He looked at me, "Faker. What's with that face?" He chuckled weakly, "Don't tell me you're frightened." I looked away, and tried to wipe the terror away with my hands.

It's...it's not him.

I put on a brave face and turned back around, "Nah. Scared isn't part of my vocabulary." I went for a winning smile, but but shadow saw through it, chuckled, and turned away.

"Whatever you say, Faker." Our voices echoed across the neglected cages, the aged stone walls and metal floors burying me like a tomb. It was familiar to me, but not in the same way. Robotnik had to be putting on an act..he had to be.

I shook my head, trying and failing to put myself back together.

"Hey, Shads?" He grunted in my direction, "How were you captured?" I looked up at the black hedgehog, hoping to get my mind off of the looming danger.

He turned to look at me, an annoyed smirk written in his face, "I was ambushed on a secret mission by a bunch of black robots. At first I thought they belonged to Eggman, but their color and demeanor was off and they just kept coming." He was crossing his arms while looking at me with such intensity that I was almost afraid he was gonna burn a hole in my head, "Eventually one of them managed to get behind me and it grabbed my power rings..what happened after that is all a blur." He closed his eyes and shook his head as though the memory were painful to him.

"Was Rouge with you?" Amy asked, now almost completely calmed down, "Is she okay?"

"No, she wasn't with me." He opened his eyes and shook his head again, "What I don't get is how anybody besides you guys could've known where I was, much less where to hit me..." His eyes shut as he pondered this strange phenomenon.

I cocked my head in wonder, "Where were you?" But he refused to answer. I had a feeling he had been searching around my bro, Tail's workshop though as he had been doing it now for the past few months.

I shrugged and turned to Amy, "What about you?"

She seemed startled, but answered anyways, "I was with Cream when two black robots attacked us. They left her alone, and grabbed me before I could pull out my hammer. After that it's a blur."

What? Why would they take Amy and leave Cream? That didn't make any sense.

Shadow turned to me again from his nice, shaded corner, "And you?" I looked up at him, my face partially hidden in the darkness.

"I was caught sleeping, I guess." I shrugged, "I don't really remember."

Shadow raised an eyebrow, "What about the blood?" I had a sneaking suspicion he knew I was lying.

"You said it was black, right?" I asked, my shaded eyes looking up at him. He nodded, "Whoever took me might have accidentally spilled oil on me, and the man who came in here cleaned me up because he didn't want oil all over the place." I said freely, an easy shrug escaping my shoulders.

Yes, my blood is black...It has been that way for a very long time. At least, it started turning that way when I was three, and just continued until it consumed all of my blood when I turned fifteen...I actually haven't aged since. Thankfully, the only people who've noticed this agelessness are Eggman and Shadow, but everyone else has remained oblivious due to my birthday being...hard to guess. I planned to keep it that way.

I watched Shadow's reaction to this explanation, and wasn't expecting anything else than his own disbelieving shrug as he grunted and turned away. Ever since he found out about my immortality, he started trying to sneak into my buddy's lab, and the couple times I caught him doing this, he argued something about a secret mission till both of us turned purple. I knew the reason. He was trying to figure me out, and seeing no information in the G.U.N. base computers that he works with, he started trying to piece it all together with my other friends and the places I frequent.

Not much he can do though when most of the information he needs is stored in an unusually good place.

Thankfully Amy believed me and smiled, "Don't worry, Amy. We'll get out of here." I said bravely. If Shadow wanted to be shady and down, then fine, but I didn't want Amy to be.

Suddenly footsteps echoed behind the large metal door to my right, and I spun away from my friends to meet it. The heavy set steps got louder and louder until they were ringing in my head along with my pounding heart. Then everything when quiet as it stopped in front of the door.

The steel door opened, hissing with poisonous intent to reveal a tall man dressed in a black robe with a matching black gas mask on his face. His eyes were the strangest things about him though as the one on the right shone emerald and the other glowed an unnatural red.

He looked directly at me, and without even thinking about it, my spines sharpened themselves into knives, my look deadly calm.

He chuckled, his deep voice filled with soothing static. You could fall asleep to this voice...forever.

"Careful hedgehog, or you'll lose your quills." He said calmly, slowly, "Your friends were quite easy to capture compared to you." He moved closer to them, slowly circling around my cage. He chuckled again as he passed Amy's cage and reached a black, gloved hand into Shadow's cage, pulling the chained, struggling teen against the bars, "Pathetic for the Ultimate Life Form, wouldn't you say?"

"Leave them out of this." My voice was dark, and despite my fear, rather assertive and brave. Over the years, I had learned to put on this act, and before long, it became my way to truly deal with my fear.

He let Shadow go, and I heard him gasping for breath as the cloaked man continued, "I'm afraid I can't do that anymore." He walked up to me, knelt down and looked me in the eyes, "My son protected you for far too long. If you had come back quietly when you were less well known, it would have been easy to make everyone forget that you existed." He stood back up and stared at Amy's cage, "Now I not only have to bring you back, but everyone who you've made real connections with. After that, people will think that you've faded away or died, and you will be forgotten." He stared once more at me, a knowing look in his eyes, "You've changed since I last saw you...you're at least a foot taller and a bit bluer than before." He chuckled slowly, "But I expected it."

"Who is your son?" I didn't really care, but some part of me was curious.

He laughed, the deep static bone-chilling to hear, "Did he not tell you?" My quills and guard fell at this strange question.

"Did who not tell me?" I was genuinely curious now. Slowly, his voice returned to the dark, soothing tone and he knelt down in front of me. Out of instinct, I quickly moved back, my quills rising again. But he just casually got closer. His eyes were piercing my soul as he examined me.

"Why, my dear boy..." He sounded sad, "It's your dear friend, Dr. Ivo Robotnik."

My eyes widened in shock, "Liar!" My mask had fallen away, and my pain had returned. I turned to look at my real friends, but they were up against the bars, just as shocked as I was, "You're just trying to psyche me out!" The bravado was still in my voice, but the cockiness was gone.

"Foolish child." He suddenly grabbed me by the collar and held me up in front of my friends. I fought and tried to get away, but the irons and sedatives kept me from doing anything short of trying to weakly peel his hands away, "He talked to me just a little while ago, telling me all about it." I could tell he was smiling, "He said, "If you so much as lay a hand on him, your whole operation will crumble, and either way you spin it, he will be safe from you." He told me that last week." I couldn't breath, and I could barely hear Amy's voice screaming:

"You're hurting him! Stop!" He just laughed.

He mocked her, a recording of her voice playing instead of his own, "You're hurting him! Stop!"

He never yelled, but was instead saying everything as though it were old news, "Don't you get your quills in a tangle my dear." He stared at them, "I have no intentions of losing this hedgehog again, no matter what the price." He suddenly dropped me and I fell to the ground, hard. My head hit first, and I couldn't move. Everything was blurry, his voice the only thing I could really hear, "I will be getting the other one back as well, as soon as I find out where she is."

The world came back into focus slowly, and I could hear Amy's muffled crying, and Shadow yelling my name.

"Welcome back, Maurice. You've been missed." He turned to walk to the door, "Oh, I almost forgot." He turned to face me once more, "You have a Water Punishment for your escape scheduled early tomorrow. You're friends will be there to witness it." With that he walked out, his quiet air leaving a darkness on the room that no light could penetrate.

I remained on the floor, the shock of what just happened still hitting me. I couldn't believe...I refused to believe him about Robotnik..Eggman. HE BETRAYED ME, and he did it in cold blood. I did nothing to him, but he just..

I laid there in silence, the comforting words that Amy tried to say lost to the wind as I reflected on the darkness of my past.

Suddenly, Shadow piped up, his voice shaking a little, "Who was that?"

I sat up and looked up at him, my soul felt dead, "The Good Doctor."

"Well, he's not very good then." Amy said, and I chortled softly. The air in the room felt stuffy and hot, the walls closing in on me. I wished I could run, but that wasn't going to happen any time soon.

"Who was the other one he talked about?" Shadow asked.

"My...sister." I looked to the ground, a small respectful smile on my face as I remembered my lost twin. She once looked exactly like me with emerald eyes and blue fur. Her smile used to be my only light before I escaped from this place long ago. We used to always joke about how gravity didn't seem to work on her quills while it crashed down on mine... My last memory of her though was broken and distorted with trauma.

Shadow continued, "What happened to her?" His chains were rattling as he took interest in my story, and in some ways, I was happy that he was listening.

"She..." I took a deep breath and looked up at their concerned faces, "I escaped because of her." They both looked at each other, "She managed to get me to the outside, and told me to run before she was taken away." I felt numb, as though the sedatives had increased in dosage, "I don't know what happened after that. I just remember running..running. I ran so fast I didn't even realize that I had run into a pack of bullies." My eyes glazed over as I watched my memories play out for the hundredth time. There wasn't a day that went by that I didn't think of this and what I could've done to save her, "They beat me to the point of death and just left me there to die."

"Oh God." Amy gasped, tears falling down her face as she put her hands to her muzzle. Shadow said nothing, his eyes filled with understanding for my pain. He had experienced something similar to me, so I was truly grateful that he was listening.

I continued, my gaze far away, "Then he came along. He saved me, and took me in as his little brother." I could never have said any of this in the open for fear of being judged. But here in this place, I felt like I had already been judged, and this was my punishment. I never meant for anyone else to be dragged into this with me, but now that they were here, I felt like it was only fair that they learned at least part of what was going on.

"Who did?" Shadow prompted once more, and with a glassy, dark look, I told him.

"Robotnik." But then I shook myself, jump-scaring my friends with my sudden movement, "But that man lied. Robotnik never cared." I said coolly. My voice was so dark and intimidating that even Shadow look a bit worried, "As soon as he realized that I trusted him wholeheartedly, he broke me and laughed in my face as I cried..." I closed my eyes, "I was only ten when he did this, and well...you know what happens next."

Shadow's chains clinked and rattled as he leaned against the wall of the cage again, "What is tomorrow's Water Punishment?" He elaborated, "What does that mean?"

I shifted uncomfortably, "I...I don't know." I lied. I knew that they were going to find out tomorrow, but at least for tonight, I didn't want them to know.

Shadow looked at me again and raised an eyebrow, but he said nothing.

Amy spoke, her voice scared and slightly tearful, "Well, we'll find out tomorrow. For now, lets try to get some sleep. We will need it if we're going to break out any time soon..." She looked at me, tears in her eyes, "You both look exhausted." She was trying to be strong, and I couldn't help but appreciate it.

I nodded, and laid down, Shadow's chains signaling that he did the same, and I fell into dreams and memories I had tried so hard to forget.

"Robotnik?" My tired voice echoed across the dark room. His sleeping form was resting against the side of the bed. He woke up, rubbed his eyes and looked at me with those kind green orbs.

"What's up, Sonic?" Though he was obviously tired, he did a good job hiding it in his voice..until he yawned.

"I..I can't sleep..." I whimpered, shaking in fear, "I-I was suffocating..I.."I started to sob, "She was right there-but he took her away!" I was crying now, my mouth making noises that I didn't want. Suddenly, I lept off the bed and raced for the door. I didn't even really know why, but I just had to. He lept after me and picked me up so that I couldn't get out, "I have to save her! I-I have to..."I had been fighting but stopped as my sobbing got louder, "Or..nobody will." He held me close.

"I will." He said softly, but proudly. I looked up at him, a confused look on my face, "If you can't save her and nobody else will; Then I will go straight to the evil man, punch him in the face, and save her for you." He held me up, "See, problem solved."

"Do you know where she is?" I whined softly.

"Nope. But we'll search for her tomorrow." He smiled heroically, "You show me where she is, and I'll bust her out so she can join our happy family. Deal?" He asked, putting me back into the bed, but this time, he got in too and held me close.

"Deal." I said happily, a grateful smile growing on my face, "But what about the nightmares?"

"They won't get us tonight." He said it as though it were fact.

"How come?" I was confused again.

"Because now you have me to protect you." With that, we fell to sleep. He had been right…

The nightmares didn't get us that night.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

" _Where are we going?" My small voice asked as I was roughly dragged down a long, lit white corridor, "The testing room was back there." The black, child robots on either side of me said nothing, but just kept walking. They looked like two female twin bunnies this time, instead of the male bunny and wolf pup that I was used to. Their grip was iron and their eyes glowed a dark, restless ruby._

 _I couldn't help but become more fearful of what he was going to do than what was normal._

 _I closed my eyes, stealing myself for the torment I knew was going to happen, "At least he's free..." I whispered to myself as I smiled softly. He was the only thing that kept me from breaking and going insane...my last memory of him was my only anchor to the mortal realm._

 _I opened my emerald eyes to stare at the colorless floor, my blue fur moving with the artificial breeze that the machines created. He hasn't taken my color away from me yet, and I hoped he never would._

 _Finally the robots reached a big blank door at the end of the hall._

 _This was it._

 _They pushed through it into the room. The room was huge, but had a drop-off near the door. The platform we were standing on seemed to be only a small percentage of the entire room, the rest of it was different wires and seven glass cases that lined the center walls and ceiling of the black drop-off. Cables that connected to these cases dropped from them to meet in the middle and hung there in the shape of a child._

 _The robots pushed me closer to the drop-off point and I realized that the cases held different colored gems that glowed slightly in the darkness._

 _Fear overtook me and I tried to push past the robots, their metal bodies frozen in time as they only pushed me closer._

" _No, don't!" I was crying, "Please, take me back to the other testing room! I want to go there..." They couldn't hear me, "Please!" I held onto them desperately, closing my eyes in terror. I felt the cables latch onto my arms, legs, and neck and try to pull me into the center ring._

 _I only held onto the robots tighter, "Kuro," The deep, static voice of The Good Doctor filled my ears, "Let go of the robot." He didn't even seem to care that these cables were designed to send powerful waves of energy into the subject they were attached to. Those radioactive crystals in the glass only petrified me more as to the nature of this experiment._

" _No!" I screamed, my voice breaking with my fear, "You're gonna hurt me! You're gonna hurt me more than you have already!" His voice came back, calm as ever._

" _If you don't let go, there will be another Water Punishment after this." His voice came through the loud speaker dangerously, "And we don't want that now do we?" My eyes opened and stared at the soulless eyes of the robot. I didn't want this, but I would do almost anything to get away from the Water Punishment._

 _I screwed my eyes shut again and let go, the tears falling faster and faster as I was jerked into the middle. The wires stretched me out till it hurt, and I couldn't help but whimper in my broken pain._

 _I opened my eyes to stare at the malignant crystals around me, "Please..." I whimpered helplessly._

" _Now Now, don't be like that." His voice bit into my ears, "It'll be over before you know it." I heard him flick something on the speaker, and I screamed._

 _The pain flickered through me, searing my veins, my heart, and my mind. It was sharp, yet dull, and arched through me till my muscles wanted to burst. My screams went unheard, my pleas forgotten in the endless suffering these cables gave. I screamed so loud that I couldn't hear anything anymore, and it felt like darkness itself was running down the sides of my head. I couldn't think, couldn't breath. My heart felt like it was stopping and starting over and over again._

 _Help...please…Voices filled my head, the pain becoming dull as they spoke._

" _Child, what are you doing here?" A woman asked, her voice soft and comforting to hear. She seemed concerned and sad with my condition._

" _Destroy him..Destroy all of them!" A man yelled at me, his voice was fiery and fierce, "You don't deserve this!"_

 _It was mostly them that I heard, but then everything faded into a white light. I stood facing myself, my blue fur, gravity defying quills, and green eyes my most distinguishing features._

 _I stared at me sadly, my eyes looking glazed and broken._

" _Do you want our power?" I asked me, and with a shock, I realized that this me was speaking with the voices of at least seven different people. They all sounded concerned and angry, "We've seen how you've been treated, and we want to help."_

 _I collapsed to my knees, the weight of this trauma crushing me into dust, "It...hurts..." I was crying still, "Please...make it stop." I stared down at me still._

" _Do you accept?" I closed my eyes, and nodded. When I opened them again, I was back in the chamber. All the pain was gone and I was on the platform with the robots. They stared at me without pity, took my arms and dragged my exhausted body back down the hallway from whence we came._

 _I chanced a glance at myself expecting burned, blue fur, but I was sadly mistaken. Tears were falling from my eyes once again, but I didn't have enough energy to truly cry anymore…_

 _He had taken away my color._

My eyes opened to Knuckles carrying me on his back...I guess I had fallen asleep on the journey to Sonic's place, as Knuckles had called it. I looked around.

We were in the middle of nowhere. Trees were scattered in the distance and tall grasses shrouded our destination in front of us.

"Does Sonic live all the way out here?" I asked, my naive voice alarming the red echidna.

"Oh, you're awake!" He sounded happy, almost joyful as though he were in his own element, "And yes, or at least, his good buddy Tails does."

"Who's Tails?" I was curious now, "Why are you taking me there instead of Sonic's house?"

The wind rustled my black fur, and whistled through the grass as he continued, "You see, Sonic doesn't live in his own place, but instead loves to roam the world and meet new people. However, when he does want to sleep in a room, he always comes to this remote place where Tails built both him and himself a place to hide, sleep, and at least for Tails, work." He turned his smiling face to me. It was as though he were very excited to see this place again, "Tails is a young orphaned fox that Sonic found one day in the forest. They became instant friends, and they now refer to each other as brothers."

"What does Tails look like?" I asked, the story interesting to me, "Why is his name Tails?"

"Oh that's simple, "Knuckles chuckled, turning back to the least traveled road, "He's a yellow fox kit with two tails, hence his namesake." I giggled.

"You said Sonic was blue and fast like me, correct?" He nodded and I looked at my mismatched body, "I think I'll fit in just fine." We both laughed, the fact that the ones who seemed to gather around Sonic were all strange in some way heartening to learn.

Ever since I woke up without any sort of memory, I've been going village to village searching for...acceptance. This was something that was never granted, and so I learned to just grab food and get out. The idea that there were others like me was something I never used to imagine. Now, acceptance seemed to hang right in front of me. It felt nice, and exciting.

"Oh, I did want to ask.." His voice seemed uncertain, "Why do you have power rings around your wrists, and ankles, and a collar with very similar properties?" He realized I probably wouldn't understand what these properties were, and so he elaborated, "I've only seen that setup once and it was to keep a friend's power from getting out of control. If he ever took them off, his power would be unimaginable...but it would also drain him of his energy as soon as he tapped into that power." He looked back up at me, but returned to looking ahead of us within a second, "I can understand if you want to keep it to yourself, or if you don't know." He decided.

"In truth..." I tried to remember, but nothing came up, "I don't know..." I looked down at the glinting rings. I didn't even know that they had a name...I thought they were just decoration or something. The collar I knew had some sort of reason as I could feel it, but even then I couldn't understand it's true purpose.

We walked in silence, the birds singing sweetly and the wind toying with the petals and leaves that floated on the breeze. I stared up at the puffy clouds in the endless stream we called the sky, this was calming to me, and I started to doze.

"We're here." I heard Knuckles break through my stupor, and with a start, I came out of my slumber. I hadn't even realized I had fallen asleep again, but sure enough, the blue sky was gone, crimson gold replacing it. The birds' song had slowed down, and become a soft lullaby.

I rubbed my eyes, yawned, and turned to where Knuckles was pointing. Nestled within two trees was a big, wooden building that almost looked like a barn. It was strange, but exciting!

We got closer and I noticed a small fox about my height(if not a couple inches taller) working on a metal object on a worktable in the open, welcoming door. The yellow and white fox with pretty, sea blue eyes was so wrapped up in his work that he didn't notice Knuckles and me in the doorway.

I stared at him and his workshop. He truly had two tails, and they went up and down separately in anticipation of the project in his hands. I smiled, and looked up at all the strange machines and projects like the one on the table that littered the walls and shelves of the huge interior of the barn-looking home. A set of spiral stairs behind him led to a second story, and I figured that was where they kept their rooms. Behind that was a huge blue machine with big wing-like things on it's sides and backside and what looked like a three-bladed spinney thingy on it's nose. I had no idea what it was, but I really loved it. I thought it was the best thing in there despite all the amazing creations on the walls around it.

Finally, the little fox noticed us, and jumped back in shock. The partially disassembled contraption forgotten as he said in a cute, boyish voice, "Knuckles! How long have you been standing there!" It sounded like he hadn't fully hit puberty yet, but he was definitely older than me.

"Hey Tails! How's it going?" He completely ignored his question, but Tails didn't seem to mind that much.

He smiled, "Oh, you know. It's going great. I was just working on a device to enhance the X-Tornado's engines. He gestured to the huge machine I had stood in awe of just moments before, "So, what are you-" He looked up at me and froze, "Who's that?"

Knuckles carefully set me down on the withered pavement so He could see me clearly, "This is Ko, and I was wondering if you guys could take care of her for a bit." Tails looked dumbstruck.

"Doesn't she have parents, Knuckles?" He didn't seem upset, just frantic, but Knuckles was perfectly calm and smiling as though this was normal.

"Nope, and she has amnesia." Tails thought for a moment.

"I mean, she can stay with me, at least till Sonic gets back.." He decided, still staring at me in confusion, "But after that, it's up to Sonic weather she stays." He was smiling now.

"I highly doubt he'll say no." Knuckles petted my head, "He hasn't turned strange orphans away before, so why start now?" Tails laughed at this, and came closer.

"You can take his room if you'd like." He said, kneeling down slightly so that we were chaotic mismatched eye to beautiful blue eye, "Don't worry, he hardly uses it." He then stood back up to talk to Knuckles. All panic was gone now, peace replacing it.

"Hey, Tails?" Knuckles asked quickly, "Can I talk to you outside?" The two-tailed fox shrugged and followed him out.

I was left alone to wonder in this quiet place. The wind cloyed with the metal parts of the colorful projects, and the pavement clacked beneath the metal soles of my red boots. This place seemed familiar to me, and it calmed me deep inside to know that.

I walked slowly to the workbench and peer on what Tails had been working on. It was small, and seemed like it could fit in the palm of my hand. I didn't dare touch it though for fear of breaking it. I didn't understand how such a small thing could make that huge X-Tornado thing work better, but I was open to it.

I continued searching around the bench, and through all the mechanical parts, I noticed that a white ceramic pot, the likes of which I could find in one of the villages I've past, was carefully positioned on the edge of the workbench in a place where it couldn't be knocked off. A small, green sprout was poking out into the world, the lovely life vibrant and bright.

I rested on the table here, watching it, wondering what it would turn into.

"Child.." Mura's voice filled my mind, "Something's wrong..." Her voice was urgent.

"What do you mean?" Panic raised in my mind with this warning, shattering the tranquility of my heart into the fear I was used to.

"Knuckles..." She seemed to be listening, "Ko, run!" She yelled, and I listened, turning to the door to make a run for it, but there were large black robots resembling crabs and bees in the doorway. I stopped, stunned with terror. Their red, soulless eyes reminded me of something.

I shook my head, and dashed toward them. The crabs opened their claws in acknowledgment while the bees primed their gun-looking stingers.

I closed my eyes and lept through the gap they left in between. I heard the guns fire, and knew the claws snapped shut, but I landed safely in the grass behind them. I turned to see what had happened, and watched as the lab caught fire.

The destructive flames danced in my eyes as paralyzing terror filled my heart. I heard Knuckle's and Tail's voices in the distance, and saw them running toward me. More robots were chasing them.

"Ko, run!" Knuckles yelled. He was holding a passed out Tail's hand, and with a withered shock I discerned Tail's bleeding head.

"What happened.." I whispered, my paralysis keeping me still.

Knuckles stopped and started hitting the robots, his spiked knuckles breaking through their armor after a few hits. But it was not enough as the sea of robots swarmed him, "Ko, run and don't look back!" He screamed as he was overtaken, "Don't worry about us." He was bleeding now as the countless machines tried to hold him down.

I clenched my teeth. I couldn't just leave them.

My paralysis broke and I started running toward them, "No!" Knuckles screamed, "Get away!" Something broke over his head, and to my horror, he crumpled down. The Robots swarmed him and before long, I couldn't see either of my friends.

I stopped running and fell to my knees. Tears were streaking down my left cheek, but it wasn't fear anymore. It was anger.

The crackling fire beside me fueled my fury as I stood back up. The robots all turned to me ready to fight, and I was happy to oblige.

My vision was red, and without much thought, I laid into them. I tore them to pieces and scattered the scraps in the grass. After destroying a few of them, the others seemed more reluctant to fight, but I didn't care and continued to destroy them. I was having too much fun...

Within a few moments, I was alone again. Knuckles and Tails were gone, and the fire was still burning. Slowly, my rage faded away, and I looked at my hands. My arms were completely black along with the rest of me, but with my rage, so too did the black fade. My coloring was soon the normal black and white it had been, but my mind felt empty and dark.

I hugged myself and cried, "Why?" I whispered to the wind. But not even Mura had a response.

I don't know how long I cried there, watching the embers consume the bright future I had hoped would be mine, but sooner or later I stopped and just watched them dance.

Night had fallen on me, but the moon and stars made no appearance for fear of being burned by the fire. I felt hollow, broken.

Suddenly a strange sound met my ears. It sounded like maybe the robots had returned, but when I turned to look, I couldn't see anything. Thinking it was just my imagination, I turned back around, but hit my head upon doing so.

I cried out in shock and fell backward, my hand going to the slightly burning area. I then stared at what I had hit. My eyes widened in fear.

It looked like a blue hedgehog-shaped robot with black eyes, and red irises. The colorful choice of the blue body and yellow designs separated it from the black robots I had fought earlier, but I wasn't taking any chances.

I got up and slowly backed away from it's soul-ripping gaze, almost hoping it couldn't see me. It stood there motionless for a few seconds before a deep, dark voice said hollowly, "Sonic's DNA detected." It stared at me again, but now it followed my every move, "Taking him back for Eggman's inspection." My eyes were now so wide that they looked like saucers, and I turned and tried to make a run for it.

Before I could make a move however, the robot was in front of me. I cried out as he grabbed my arms and fought desperately to escape, but he held on tight. He lifted me into the air, a blast signaling to me that I had indeed left the ground.

Now, I was holding onto it, hoping that it wouldn't drop me as it took me into the night. Below me were dark, smoky clouds, the green mottled ground just barely visible through the plumes. The wind was in my ears and played with my eyes as I tried to keep them shut to the new adventure I knew was approaching me at full speed.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

 _"_ _Robotnik? What are you doing?" My sleepy ears woke me to the sound of familiar tormented screams, and the agonizing cries of drowning. I sat up groggily and stared at the shadow in front of the new TV set._

 _A few years had past since he first found me, but with the discovery of my speed and our happy friendship, it hadn't seemed like a long time. We had just celebrated my ninth birthday and his twenty-eighth a couple days ago, and that TV set had been our present._

 _It was too bright to really see what he was watching, but I knew from the screams that it wasn't good. He turned to me and smiled._

" _It's nothing, Sonic. Go back to sleep." But there was something wrong with his voice...it sounded like he was crying._

"Wakey wakey." The ground was metal beneath me as I was shaken awake with an iron hand, the child's voice robotic, yet alive above me. I opened my eyes and saw a black robotic child in the shape of a bunny shaking awake my friends in the cages above me. But I watched confusion as he went to the cage on the right side of Shadow's instead of the left like I remembered. Was Amy still there?

I turned to face the one above me and saw a black robotic wolf pup with happy red eyes staring at me in anticipation, "Good, you're awake!" He grabbed my hands and pulled me to my feet, only to take my chains and hold me in place, "Now we just have to wait for your friends." He was smiling at me, but I didn't smile back.

When I was here before, both him and the bunny over there were our guards. They were programmed to partially think and feel for themselves, as well as talk and pretend to be our friends. They had been an experiment to see how we would react to kindness and a positive stimulus. In some ways, I felt guilty for leaving them behind...but at the same time, I didn't. They were created here and were treated with the utmost care by the Doctor...we hadn't been.

I looked away and closed my eyes, "Do you remember me, Okami?" The Good Doctor had both me and my sister refer to the robots with these names, and they would refer to us and themselves in the same way. The bunny over there was named Bani, and the wolf pup beside me was called Okami.

His happy, positive voice responded, the chains rattling in excitement, "Of course I remember you, Maurice! We were best friends." I felt his metal hand on my shoulder, and opened my eyes to look at him again. His red eyes were ecstatic to see me, and I couldn't help but feel better in his company.

"Okami.."I whispered, and he leaned in to listen, "Could you call me Sonic?" His eyes widened in curiosity and shock.

"Why?" He whispered back.

"I..I just want to be called that." I said with a smile. The pup smiled back and nodded.

"Of course!" He said rather loudly. I jumped at this sudden outburst, "Glad to have you back, Sonic!" Bani turned to look at us, his hand gently trying to shake the black and red hedgehog who seemed fast asleep..Either that, or he was faking it. The bunny had been trying to shake him awake now for a while, but he wasn't responding.

"Sonic?" He asked, his voice cute and calming, "Is that his name now?" Okami nodded, and Bani giggled, "It fits!" He went back to shaking Shadow, seeming to grow more and more violent with each shake.

Finally, he gave up and walked over to Okami, "All the others are awake, but the one named Shadow is being mean." He looked close to crying as he stared at the floor sadly, "Why is he so mean?" He turned to me and hugged me, his arms gentle as his face buried itself into my fur, "I just wanted to follow my orders..." He was just a child. Even if he was a robot, all his thoughts and programmed feelings were set to mimic that of a young child.

I had nothing to say accept, "That's just Shadow." In truth, I didn't want him to wake up...not to this. I knew that he wasn't prepared for what was in store, The Ultimate Life-form or not. I had done this before, and I wasn't prepared.

"Alright!" He ran back to Shadow's cage, "I'll keep trying then." With that, he continued to shake him with more patience than ever, "Come on Shadow! Time to wake up." He said happily. He kind of reminded me of my little bunny friend, Cream. She was a young, cream colored bunny with brown patches that looked and acted around the same age as Bani, and I sincerely hoped that she wouldn't be taken with the rest of us. She was far too young for any of this…

Then something sparked a bit of hope as I remembered the way Amy was captured. She had been with Cream and though she was captured, Cream had been left alone. Certainly that meant something.

I closed my eyes once more, "I hope she's okay.." I whispered to myself. Okami looked over but said nothing.

My eyes snapped open...Tails. Would he be dragged into this?

Panic filled my throat as I stared at the what looked like a new arrival. I couldn't make out the face though as whoever it was was shrouded in darkness, but I could sense their eyes. Though Tails was older than Cream by six years, the twelve year old was still too young to know. He was still too young to understand this, and he shouldn't have to.

I turned to Okami, "He left Tails, right." My voice was filled with fear as I imagined the young fox's reaction to this nightmare, "He isn't so cruel that he would bring him into this...right?" At this, Okami looked away, and said nothing. The unusual cage rustled, and I saw amethyst eyes looking at me in confusion and a dazed stupor. His gloved, spiked hands wrapped around the bars as my dear friend, Knuckles, chained and sedated, tried to break the bars of his enclosure. I breathed a shaking sigh of relief, the idea of Tails not being privy to this chaos a huge weight off my shoulders.

But Okami replaced the fear as he continued, "Your adopted brother, Tails, insane friend, Amy, and little bee, Charmy have all been moved to safe quarters. Their minds are too young and unstable to handle your punishment today." My heart sunk, "So do not worry, they will be treated with the utmost care and love so as to keep them safe while they remain with us." He was smiling and more robotic than ever as he relayed that message. I hung my head. Why did they have to be dragged into this?

"What about Knuckles and Shadow?" My fists were clenched. Though my younger friends were safe..for now..the fact that they were forced to stay behind bars, and grow in a place like this was enraging to me.

"They are within the age limit to watch." He responded, gripping my chains tightly, "They are more violent and less controllable, so a lesson is in order." My fists released, a realization coming to my mind. Why was I blaming the robots? This was _his_ fault…

Shadow still refused to open his eyes, and the little bunny was crying frantically at him, "Please wake up, Shadow! The Good Doctor doesn't take kindly to being late-" He never fully finished his sentence though as the door opened abruptly to my left.

I felt a hand on my shoulder, the cold darkness of the room increasing ten fold, "I've been waiting for you all in the hallway." The dark, static voice stated to the room. I didn't look at him, "And what has gotten you down, dear child?" I felt him grip the back of my collar, "Aren't you happy to be back with me?"

"Go to hell." I snarled back.

He chuckled knowingly, "But I'm already in it..."He lifted me off my feet, the chains rattling beneath me, "And now, so are you." He turned me so that I stared into his malicious, sad eyes, the crimson burning with pain, and the emerald shattered with insanity. Defiance filled my emerald eyes, and I stared him down, unblinking...unyielding. I wasn't a child, and I wasn't going to let this creature scare me anymore. We were going to escape.

"I escaped, and I can do it again." I smirked, "But this time, I won't leave anyone behind." I felt his hidden, malicious smile crawl up my spine.

"That so?" He mused, "My, my, how brave you've gotten," Before I could think of what he said, I was in the wall, bars bruising my back as I fell to the floor. I groaned, clutching my back and rubbing my aching ribs as he approached, "But I won't make the same mistake twice." He was kneeling down in front of me, petting my head softly, "I _own_ you." He whispered in my ear, the static sending chills through my broken bones, and tracing the racing neurons of my mind.

I shook my head, growling in response, "Nobody owns me!" I tried to fight his hand away, but he only grabbed my wrists with one hand and held my face with the other. I struggled, but his grip felt stronger than the robots. I could hear Knuckle's angry cries echoing from within his cage as he struggled to get to me, but could do nothing…

I felt helpless against him.

He chortled once more as his aged eyes studied me, "We'll see how you feel after your punishment." He took my collar and lifted me up in the air again. I tried to peel his gloved hands off, but the sedatives and childhood fear sapped my strength. I wanted to run...run far, far away from this place. I wanted to be back in Tail's lab with all my friends, chatting and having fun..But I couldn't. I was trapped...tied down.

I was still fighting though, "I'll never belong to you!" I cried out, my quills sharpening themselves into knives, and my feet kicking with as much intensity as I could. But he wasn't even phased.

"You already do." Was all he said, and that alone drilled the final screw in my heart's prison. He threw me to the ground and put his large, metal foot on my chest so that I couldn't move. Slowly, he started to remove the chains attached to my legs and arms, leaving the irons around my wrists and ankles, and the chains around my neck. Then with a chuckle, he lifted me to my feet and attached the last chain to what looked like a metal belt concealed within his cloak, "You can leave this one to me, Okami." He looked at him, "Take the other two, and make sure they don't escape."

I tried to make a mad dash for it, but the chains held, and he didn't even flinch. The large, unyielding chain was too short to truly get any real speed, and the heavy, steel irons made it even harder to even walk. The sedatives dulled my mind and made it so that the more I fought to get away, the less my muscles obeyed. I was trapped beside the one man I could truly say that I hated. Even Robotnik couldn't come close to the hatred I felt for this man.

But at the same time, I also wanted to protect him. I wanted to love and obey this abusive creature. The thought made me want to gag, and fight still more to get away, but I could only stand in a growling silence. His obtrusive, gloved hand slowly stroked my quills and scratched behind my ears.

He used to reward us as kids with stuffed animals and cookies whenever we were good during an experiment. But the experiments ranged from killing robots in horrific ways to being shocked and burned with strange crystals and heavy wires. I would rather not mention the experiments in-between.

He only shocked me with the real Chaos Emeralds once...I would never wish that pain upon even him, and I hope he didn't do that to her. I have always hoped that my tortured screams and unending tears made a dent in his "research", but something deep down told me that nothing could.

I looked up from my sickening thoughts, trying to ignore his touch, and watched as Bani still couldn't get Shadow to stop pretending to sleep. I knew he was faking it, but unfortunately, so did The Doctor.

He dragged me over to the cage, pushed Bani out of the way, and grabbed the immortal teen by the throat. He woke up instantly and began to fight viciously, however, much like me, the heavy irons and drugs in his system kept him from doing much.

Okami held Knuckles back as Shadow was dragged effortlessly into the open and pinned to the ground by The Good Doctor's boot, "Well, don't you look familiar..." His static voice seemed mildly surprised at seeing Shadow's face and coloring, "However, being the biological cousin to Ogilvie," He gestured to me and I flinched at the name, "That should be no surprise." My face turned bright red as everyone in the room besides the doctor looked at me in shock.

Yes...my real, real name was Ogilvie Maurice the Hedgehog, the first name given to me by my father, and my first middle name by my mother. I had always gone by Maurice though as, seriously, who in the world would want to be called, Ogilvie? Last time I checked, that was also the name of a really bad disease.

Shadow didn't even struggle as the chains on his arms and legs were removed and he was placed on the other side of the doctor. All he could do was stare with wide, crimson eyes at me. Knuckles seemed to move on rather quickly though as he began fighting again.

I had known the name(how could I not?) but I had no clue that I was actually related to Shadow, and apparently, he didn't either. This fact played about his face rather nicely. I had also never seen him truly surprised and speechless either, so I myself was surprised at his surprise. Needless to say, we were just staring at each other for who knew how long. We didn't even struggle as The Good Doctor led us through the door and down the hall toward my doom.

Our footsteps echoed on the hard, metal floor, the walls, lights, and doors around us blinding in their white light. It was like walking through snow walls with bright mini suns right above us. It was definitely a lot different than the darkened dungeon like room I had awoken in, but was the same to what I remembered as a child.

Fear swam its way into my teenage heart and I tried to make another dash for it in the opposite direction we were going. This time, my pull startled him and he stopped to stare at me as I tripped and fell, the momentum of my desperate attempt betraying my footing.

"You seem to be fearful of me, child." He picked me up off the ground and held me in place so I could once again stare deep into his broken eyes, "But I don't remember ever causing true damage to your body." Knuckles and Shadow were both watching this with wide eyes, the robots keeping them from really doing anything at all, "Unlike with your...parents," He spat that word, "You were very well cared for in my company." Knuckles's eyes were shifting from me to him while Shadow just watched me, "So why do you persist with this useless temper-tantrum?" He was gripping my shoulder so hard that it hurt.

" _Well cared for_." I chuckled at those words, "Is that what you thought of hooking me up to seven volatile crystals and shocking me till I was half dead? Is that what you think of in making an innocent four year old girl and boy beg for forgiveness as you drown them?" I started laughing, the insane sound cold and humorless as I broke down into broken fits and menacing giggles. Then suddenly, I stopped, my eyes boring into his, "You've damaged me far more than you could ever imagine." I could feel the Echidna's fixed stare when he heard of the seven volatile crystals and Shadow's stare leaving as I called "The Good Doctor" out on only two of the hundreds of things he did to us.

However, the doctor himself didn't even flinch at these accusations, "Children are so emotional these days." He turned and continued walking, all the while dragging me by my quills down the hallway to which I cried out in pain, "At least the other two are obedient." He seemed slightly annoyed with my outburst and kept only gripping harder and harder onto my quills.

I couldn't help but cry out, "Let Go!" As we rounded a corner. But he only chuckled.

"I told you to be careful with your choices or you'll lose your precious quills, did I not?" He was back to his numb voice and merciless ways, as though my cries only made him happier. Suddenly, Knuckles's huge voice filled the hallway.

"Leave him alone, Bastard!" He shouted threateningly. I turned to look at him and was shaking my head "no" at him but he continued to persist, "Why not pick on someone your own size!" He was redder than normal, and was fighting Okami savagely in order to get to The Good Doctor, but the man didn't even turn around.

"If you are insinuating that I fight you, than you would be killed without question." He stopped and threw me to the ground by my quills, breaking one of them without any empathy as though to showcase his strength. I bit my tongue upon landing and refused to give him the satisfaction of a pain-filled shriek, all the while trying to feel which one he had broken, "Trust me." He turned to look at Knuckles who backed down at his empty, malicious eyes.

I found the offending quill and steeled myself to pull it. I knew that if I left it in for any length of time, it would hinder me, and the broken portion of it could get infected. I had left a broken quill in once before...it had not been pretty. They grow back eventually anyways.

The Doctor waited, watching my shaking hand on my spine. He had never seen me pull my own quill, even as a child. He had always had to do it for me. I remembered those agonizing moments, but somehow they were always sweetened with a lollipop he had always used to give me and my sister after such a procedure.

I closed my eyes, bit my glove and pulled. It came right out, but not before making me scream into my glove in agony. It felt like I was getting stabbed in the back of the head, and I could feel the warm, black blood oozing from the wound down my other cobalt quills. I was shaking as I looked at the quill in my hand and slowly released my teeth from my cloth glove.

The drugs in my system began to dull the pain in my head almost instantly, but the adrenaline and initial pain of the wound still remained imprinted in my mind for a couple minutes.

His voice filled my ears and broke the stunned silence, pleased with my strength, "Look at you." I could feel his smile as he knelt down and scratched behind my left ear, "I wonder who taught you that." He continued to scratch behind my ears, and at this point, I didn't really care if he did. I was too worn to do anything to stop it...and in some ways, I welcomed it. My mind felt like it was slowly trying to go back to the way it used to think before I met Robotnik. It felt like it was trying to go back to the scared child willing to take any bit of kindness it could get no matter who or what was giving it.

 _NO!_ My mind screamed, _**Don't you dare give in**_ _!_

Suddenly, I growled and shook his hands off, "I taught myself." I pushed myself to my feet and turned away from him, my hands balled into fists and my teeth clenched. I was different now. I was the hero of Mobius, and this creep wasn't going to under my skin again. I...I've faced worse….

"Curious isn't it?" He walked up behind me, Shadow's chain rattling as he tried to resist, but failed against his overwhelming strength and drugs, "As soon as one is set free, he becomes arrogant and proud. He cares for no one besides himself, and forgets the love he was shown by his father." He chuckled, "You are no different." He placed a hand on my shoulder, but it was gentle this time, "Come, Maurice. I will knock this annoying rebel out of you, and we can be a happy family once more." I refused to look at him and planted my feet where they were.

He chuckled, grabbed my chain and yanked me with him. I fought back once more, "You aren't my father!" I growled.

"No, but then again, you never had one." He decided, coming up to a large, white double door, "But I am a much better replacement to the neglectful, 'guardian' you used to have." He grabbed the handle, "You should thank me: I did you a favor in releasing you from his...watchful eye."

He opened the doors to reveal a huge, white room with a black, glass window in the wall and a six foot tall, two foot wide glass box in the center of the room. It was hooked up to a metal tube in the top of it, and I could just see a closed off drain in the bottom of it.

A green crocodile and purple Chameleon who I recognized as Victor and Espio both stood near it. Two black, twin robot bunnies held their chains and prevented them from doing anything besides talking.

I recognized those two bunnies...they were truly evil. They were programmed to be emotionless and cold to us...they were the ones that brought me to that one chamber with the wires and crystals. I had hoped to never see them again...but then again, I had hoped to ever see this place again. Beggars can't be choosers.

Though Victor and Espio were talking before, they went silent at the sound of the door. They both tried to turn their heads to look at us, but the bunnies wouldn't allow it and held them firm.

"Who's that?" Vector's funny, reptilian voice asked seriously. I could tell that they were both scared out of their minds, but were, at the same time, hiding it as any normal person would. Even I tried to conceal it, but with the doctor's unwavering attention to me, he made sure that I wasn't allowed to hide.

Knuckles shouted to them, "It's us, Vector." Now they were fighting to turn around.

"Knuckles? Who else is with you?" Espio asked next, fighting the robots in order to look. The Good Doctor just watched this conversation with a scientist's fascination...kind of creepy.

"Sonic and Shadow." Knuckles elaborated and I could hear their sighs of relief. I started to panic, and the glass box in front of them only made that worse every time I looked at it. This false relief I heard was agonizing to know, and I wanted to break them out of it, but I couldn't speak. The knowledge of what was coming gagged me.

"Are you guys here to break us out?" Vector asked hopefully, "This bunny is nasty." He said jokingly, gesturing to the robot holding his chains. Nobody laughed or even cracked a smile.

Espio managed to turn his head around for a second before the bunny beside him forced him back, "Who's that with you? Is he an ally?"

Shadow answered this time, "No." He said in a soft, low voice. It was so quiet that it took all of us a minute to understand, but when we did, I could see the back muscles of the crocodile and chameleon tighten in reaction.

The Good Doctor seemed to have his fill of the conversation, "Okami, Bani, take these two up there." The robots obeyed without delay and took both Knuckles and Shadow up to stand beside Vector and Espio. I wanted to join them. It seemed nice to stare at an empty tank...But I knew I wasn't so lucky.

Still hooked up to the Doctor's belt, he placed a hand on my shoulder and said so that everyone in the room could hear, "Don't make me have to do this again, Maurice. I don't like having to punish you." Somehow, I didn't believe him as he started walking up to the tank, dragging me by my collar.

I once again fought, but this time harder than ever before. I clawed at his hands and kicked furiously, trying to break free from his grip. He didn't care and kept walking.

I saw my friends' faces as I passed. They were all shocked and worried, the idea of me being defeated like this filling their hearts with dread. I had always been there to save them, but now...there was no one to save me or them. My true fear of being helpless filled my mind, and before I knew it, I had stopped fighting.

The Good Doctor stopped and studied my shadowed face, "Much better." He said, "Isn't this better than always fighting or running away?" He asked. I didn't answer, my heart too depressed to do anything. The look in my friend's hopeless eyes filled me with overwhelming despair.

He threw me inside the tank, and before I could recover, chained me to the bottom, and closed it tight. He then went and stood beside everyone else. I ran to the closed door and placed my hands on it. I didn't even know why. It was a programmed response to place your hands on your container. Who knows, maybe it was a comforting mechanism to touch the glass and know that just beyond it was freedom. I stared at my oppressor, a soft, drained defiance written in my soul.

He held up his hand to signal to the bots that I knew were waiting above to start the water, but before he could give the signal, a black, robotic hedgehog pup burst in with a promiscuous, white bat. She had teal eyes and tan skin, her wings black and shining in the phosphorescent lights. She wore a black jumpsuit with a pink heart over her well endowed chest, and white boots with pink hearts on the toes. Her hands and arms were covered with matching, white gloves and she wore flattering makeup at all times.

This was Rouge, Rouge the Bat, and the reason why I said she was promiscuous was because of the way she talked and what she wore. She always used her sexy moves and speech to daze or get rid of enemies, and/or entice her allies. She's tried it with me and Shadow, but we aren't as inclined to accept some of her offers.

Her irritated, mysterious voice came in and slapped us all in the face, "Get your hands off me, kid." The little hedgehog chuckled, "Man, for a child robot, you sure are rude." The pup had her by her arms and was dragging her in without much effort even as she fought.

"Ah, Rouge, nice of you to join us." The Good Doctor said softly, his hand still raised, "It took some time to find you, but it wasn't too difficult." I started banging on the glass, yelling as loud as I could:

"ROUGE, GET OUT OF HERE!" But no one could hear me. She did however hear the banging and turned to face me. A look of shock and confusion filled her eyes despite her overall face remaining calm and collected.

"Why don't you bring her right here beside me, Kokoro." The Doctor motioned to his left so that Rouge would be away from the others. I knew why. He wanted to keep an eye on her to make sure she couldn't escape. She wasn't drugged or chained, and looked like she had just been brought in. My guess was, he didn't want to take the chance.

She was half-walked, half-dragged to his side, and when she got there, she smirked, "What are you going to do to this wild hedgehog, Hotshot?" She said in as sexy of a voice as possible. It's sad that I could hear them, but they couldn't hear me.

The Doctor wasn't phased and kept a strong hand on her shoulder, "I'm going to teach him a lesson."

"What lesson?" She crossed her arms with a look of slight interest in the topic.

"To never run from me again." I was shocked that he was even answering her questions...maybe he liked her? The idea made me a little sick.

"Good luck!" She chortled at the idea, "He's too-" She was trying to come up with the correct word, "-Sonic, to be taught anything like that." She waved his "lesson" away, "Even Eggman could never tame his unruly spirit." He looked at her, and I once again felt his smile behind that dark, menacing mask.

"Robotnik never tried." He said simply, "He was only trying to keep him out of _my_ hands." Rouge's eyes grew large, despite her calm manner.

"Robotnik and Sonic are bitter enemies." She corrected him, her eyes returning to their normal seductive nature, "Besides, why would he be keeping him from you? You don't seem that bad...besides the kidnapping part-that is." Shadow, Knuckles, Espio, and Vector all turned to gaze at her, and for the first time, The Good Doctor also just stared, speechless into her cyan eyes.

She looked at them, "What?"

Shadow piped up, his voice quiet, "You don't know." She looked into his drugged, sad eyes and realized her mistake. She immediately looked at me, and studied my injuries.

I had a cracked rib that, though it was healing quickly, still left a large bruise on my chest. A black stream of blood was still etched into my quills, and my arms and legs were black and blue from fighting so hard.

She hadn't noticed any of this upon entrance, and in truth, I wasn't surprised. I had been blocked from full view by my older friends, and their backs had been turned to her so she couldn't see the mental damage done to them.

A dark look faded into her eyes as she took it all in. She wasn't used to seeing this, and in truth, after all these years, I wasn't either. I had grown up away from this abuse, and suddenly being thrust back into it again filled me with a nightmarish nostalgia. It was a bad dream that had followed me through the years, and even now, I was still contemplating on it's reality. Deep down, I was still hoping it was just a nightmare, and I would wake up on a grassy hill, or in my buddy's workshop. But I also knew deep down, that this was no nightmare.

"What are you going to do to him?" She asked him quietly. All pretense was gone, and with it, her flirtatious attitude.

"Watch, dear child." He turned back to me, his mismatched eyes glaring, and dark, "Watch and learn." His arm had been raised the entire time, and only now did he drop it.

That was the cursed signal for the robots above me, and with a surge of panic, I felt the water around my ankles. I pounded on the metal glass, fear in my eyes of the water that was now at my knees.

"Later, I will brush you up on your swimming, Maurice." He decided as he watched me pound and slosh around in the murky poison, "I'm sure you won't disappoint me." He said that dangerously, but I didn't care. The water was up to my waist, the black blood on my quills washing away to mix with it.

I saw him press a button on his arm, and Suddenly, I could hear myself outside of this box. I covered my mouth, determined not to give him the screams for forgiveness that I knew he wanted.

It was up to my neck now, the rushing water biting my muzzle, and tearing at my sanity. I watched him push another button, and my erratic heartbeat could be heard, the beeping monitor filling the room with a fleeting fear.

I couldn't breath anymore as the waterfall dove me underwater. The shackles kept me pinned to the bottom, and my hands kept me from taking in any water, but my breath had ceased.

I looked up to the pocket of air shining like a beacon above me. This gave me comfort and I released my mouth, but still held my breath.

Beep..Beep..Beep..Beep..My eyes flickered, my lungs burning as the light dimmed around my vision.

" _Are you crying?" I asked softly, my friend turning the TV off and coming to sit by my side, "Why did those screams sound so familiar?" He smiled._

Beep...Beep...Beep...Beep...Please...I wanted to breath, but the blue terror around me was suffocating me.

" _It was just a sad horror movie." He told me, "That was likely an actress you recognized." He was probably right. There's no way he would lie to me, so…_

Beep….Beep….I fell, the metal ground vicious below me as the water fell through. I sputtered and threw up the access water in my lungs. I turned to look at _him_ and my eyes widened. He already had his arm back up in the air.

I tried to crawl to the door, and touched it, hoping beyond hope that it would open. Out of the corners of my eyes, I saw Rouge holding her mouth and Shadow turning away. Vector, Espio, and my dear friend Knuckles were all being held back by the robots as they tried to get to me, but failed as they were subdued and forced to continue watching.

His hand came crashing down, and with it, so did the water, "You've left me no choice, Maurice." My fist fell helplessly against the glass as the waterfall fell once more.

My heart was racing again, the frantic beats filling my mind as the real thing hammered my skull. I was shaking violently as the water reached my head in no time. I was on the ground after all.

I still held my breath, not daring to let go. My vision was falling away, taking me with it.

Beep..Beep..Beep..Help…

 _I smiled back, "Okay.." I looked around the room, the darkness filling my head with sleep. I yawned, the sound sending me thoughts of my dream, "Hey Robotnik?"_

Beep...Beep...Beep...Beep...My emerald eyes stared up at the fleeing light. It always left too soon.

" _Yeah Kiddo?" He asked, his eyebrow raised. I chuckled._

" _Why are dreams so scary?"_

Beep….Beep….Beep….a repeated story, told again and again through time. This story will morph and soon will become a twisted lie.

The water drained, the metal leaving marks in my damaged skin as I fell once more. The cycle repeated, but my breath was mine, and I refused to give it up.

Beep..Beep…

" _Well.." He thought for a moment, "Not all dreams are scary." He got up and assumed a silly position, making me laugh, "I mean, I had a dream last night about a big poke-dot elephant that was helping me with my laundry." I made a face._

" _You did not!" I laughed._

Beep…Beep….memories don't keep.

" _I did too, and you were riding it!" His green eyes sparkled as they watched me light up in a happy laughter. When I had calmed down, he sat down beside me and dinged my nose, "See, not all dreams are bad." My smile faded._

" _Then...why are mine?"_

Beep…...But you've held onto the memory, and made it into something it wasn't. Happy memories have turned twisted and confused, while bad memories have poisoned your mind with hopes and lies. You watch as you stumble on a rock, and think of ways you could've avoided that rock.

 _He hesitated, "I'm sure you've had some good dreams before..." I cocked my head, "They're just overshadowed by the bad ones." He petted my head._

" _How do I remember the good ones?"_

Beep….Beep...…..….….Before long, you forget the rock in your story, and it's left to fester in your soul like an open wound.

I fell to the ground once more, but I didn't even bother to get up this time. I had lost all the feeling in my arms and legs, and I couldn't even remember which round we were on. I knew it had been more then seven, but I lost count after that.

I watched weakly as he raised his arm one more time, and let it drop.

I heard the water crash, and I was weightless. A long, drawn out line of sound rung in my ear.

Beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee- Why we forget to add such facts has always been a mystery. Perhaps it's to save time, or perhaps, it's to make yourself forget that one mistake, or that one helpless moment in your life: that one person in your life that you took for granted.

 _He smiled, his light making the nightmares flee, "You just have to believe that you had them." He looked into my eyes, "And sooner or later, you'll see them." I nodded, and hugged him._

" _Thank you, Robotnik!"_

I didn't even try to hold my breath this time. I just wanted it to end.

Dimly, I felt myself hit the floor, my eyes dull and glassy as I stared at my horrified friends. Their voices slowly came to me even when my heartbeat did not.

"You killed him!" Rouge was crying.

"Sonic!" Knuckles was screaming my name, but seeing no response from my limp body, he turned to the Doctor, "You monster." He was growling, and I could see small tears falling down his cheeks.

Shadow was silent, and stayed turned away. The bots couldn't even get him to look. Espio and Vector could only stare, unable to comprehend what they had just witnessed. I couldn't blame them..I could only blame myself.

Beep…..Beep….A soft heartbeat filled the room, and with bated breath, everyone watched. My body, though numb at first, began to burn. Stabbing pains shot through my muscles while my bones weighed me down like irons. I was too weak to do anything, but they all seemed relieved and surprised that I wasn't dead.

The Good Doctor spoke, his voice parting the verbal waves of everyone else, "Don't make me do that again, Maurice." He walked up to the tank, and opened it knowing I was too weak to do anything. I couldn't even get up, "Off to bed with you." He decided softly, his static voice making me feel like death as he stroked my wet, shivering quills.

We were all led away by the robots, The Good Doctor staying behind with a sorrowful look in his eyes. He had commissioned Shadow to carry me, despite Knuckles insistence that he do it. They all looked at me sadly, their hero broken in a way they had never known.

Shadow was the only one who looked ahead, and I couldn't help but be reminded of a long winding road, and a tall, brotherly boy who took pity on a broken blue hedgehog. I closed my eyes, the nightmares of today fading away into the happy memories of the past.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

 _"_ _Hey, Maurice?" My voice felt choked and hoarse as silent tears fell down my cheeks. I stared at my black and white hands in the dark, "Will you still recognize me?" I shut my eyes tight, "Are you even still alive?"_

 _I sat upon a giant, blue bed. His matching bed was adjacent to me, on the right side of the blue and red room. I could only stare and cry, the thought of his fearful eyes at this monstrous beast too much to bear._

 _Whispers filled the emptiness, "I'm sorry...I'm afraid…."My lips quivered as I finished my sentence, "_ _I couldn't escape..like you wanted..."So many tears, so little time, "I'm...I'm just not as_ _strong...as you_ _."_ _I clenched my fists and opened my fearful, dark eyes. I could barely see through my tears, "I-I've always been a crybaby...haven't I..."_

 _My teeth clenched, and I screamed. I screamed as loud and as long as I could. I was angry, so angry at myself, at the Good Doctor, at everyone! I ran around the room, tossing my toys and overturning the little table in the middle._

 _It was only when everything was chaos that I sunk to my knees and cried, "_ _Why?" I sobbed, "Why did all of this have to happen?" I began to hit the blue carpet, my fist weak against even that, "Why?...WHY!" I screamed._

 _I sunk into unintelligible sobs and screams. Nobody could hear, and nobody who cared was going to come, so why not? I was alone in this eternal darkness, and I knew I was going to be alone for all time._

 _ **Child.**_

 _I looked up, the voice dark and menacing, but I could care less. That was all this place had to offer, "What? Are you going to punish me for being angry and sad?" I asked, my voice so broken, it was more of a whisper, "If so, then go ahead. I don't care." I didn't know who was talking, nor could I see anyone through my swollen, red eyes._

 _ **I'm not here to punish you. In fact, I want to give you something.**_

 _I sat up, my heart chaotic and lost while still unclear as to who was talking, "Who are you?" I was looking around vigorously now, "Where are you?"_

 ** _I'm right here…_** _His voice was suddenly right in front of me, and with some effort, I managed to see a black hedgehog that looked to be the same size and shape of me. Even his quills looked the same._

" _Who are you?" I blinked, my tears silent once more, and my voice ready to give out from all the screaming and crying. My eyes became heavy as I stabilized myself with my shaking arms. I could feel my forelegs becoming numb, but I could care less at this point...I just wanted my heart to do the same._

 _ **My name is Chaos, and you are mine. I came to give my dearest her birthday present.**_

" _Today is my birthday?" I whispered, my voice losing itself. I could barely hear him, but at the same time he was too loud. It was as though his voice was echoing in my head,and when I looked up, his mouth didn't move._

 ** _Yes, both yours and your brother's._** _I had never known my birthday, and time seemed stagnant here, so I couldn't tell if he was lying or not. I chose to believe him though, cause, why not? It only seemed fitting and ironic to lose_ _my identity_ _on my birthday._

 _He held out a black, shadowy hand,_ ** _Come, take my hand, and receive your heritage._** _My eyes blinked slowly, watching as his form flickered within the shadowed light_ _._

 _I held out my black hand, ready to take it. I was too broken to refuse, but at the same time, I didn't trust this dark shadow who seemed to know everything. He waited patiently for my hand, and closing my eyes, I allowed my hand to fall into his. After all that's happened, trust was lost to me._

 _I was expecting the usual cold, or at least a horrible feeling to go up my back like with the doctor...but his hand was warm. I opened my eyes to see a maternal smile on his face, and though he had no pupils in his empty eyes, I could tell that he cared. He pulled me into a hug, and I cried silently into his warm, loving shoulder, my arms slowly hugging him back._

 _ **Thank you for trusting me, my dark dearest.**_

I opened my eyes, a light shining through the open window of the metal room. I was lying in a soft, warm bed, a hushed buzzing noise in my flicking ears. The room itself consisted of a metal bookcase, metal floor, and a circular, yellow open window beside it.

I could see leaves from a hidden tree blowing in the sweet-smelling wind, and feel the birds' beautiful morning song in my forlorn heart. What happened?

I sat up quickly, "Knuckles...Tails..." I felt my eyes growing wet as I remembered them, and my last moments with them. They had sacrificed their lives to save mine...but...I'm not worth the saving.

They had been the only ones to really try to take me in, and I got them captured, or killed. I covered my eyes, the nightmare only making this pain worse.

The buzzing in my ears started to get louder, and my hands fell from my eyes to look around. I also recalled the robot, and the fact that it had taken me based on matching DNA to someone named Sonic. I didn't even know Sonic, but somehow I've managed to meet some of his closest friends, get them captured, and then be mistaken for him! I'm not even a boy! How could I be mistaken for a male hedgehog? That makes no sense!

I looked to the window, and of course saw nobody, then looked to my left, and nearly jumped out of bed.

The robot from before was standing there watching with his dead, crimson stare. But that was it.

I sighed, "Are you just gonna stand there?" I chuckled softly, my head sinking back down to look at the silver covers, "Or what?" I felt a metal hand grip my black arm gently. I looked to see him pointing behind himself at the only door in the room.

"You...want me to follow you?" I asked softly, and he nodded. I allowed him to help me off the bed, but he didn't put me on the ground. Instead, he placed me on his shoulders and proceeded to carry me out of the room. I didn't fight back...there was no point. Besides, at least this was quicker than him just leading me, and yes, I am calling him a he because that is what he looks like. It's much better than calling him an 'it' anyways...it makes him seem like less of a threat, I guess.

I rested on his metal spikes. They seemed to be only for decoration, and with the way they were shaped, they also made a nice headrest.

I heard a happy, robotic noise as he continued down endless gray halls and through repeating automated doors. The doors were huge, and I could only assume that whoever this robot worked for was around the same size...I couldn't imagine. I mean, after all, I'm not even three feet high, so how could I imagine someone that tall?

"So...you seem kinda nice." I traced the outline of the mechanical quills, the happy noise filling my ears again. Then, with a start, I heard another voice echo in my head.

"I missed you." The cute, male voice was garbled and covered with robotic interference. It was the robot's voice, but I couldn't understand why he needed to talk in my head...nor why he didn't just do it before.

"You talk?" I asked, a little surprised. My small arms now supported my head as I rested my chin on them.

"In a sense..." He replied, "Just not in the way you know." He added sadly, "...but you should know that." He looked up at me for a second in confusion before looking at the halls again, "I guess it has been a long time."

"Why didn't you talk to me before?" I asked curiously, remembering the blank stare I had gotten only a little while ago, "If I had known you were like this..you wouldn't have had to take me forcefully."

He looked up to me for a second before continuing, "You weren't compatible at the time. Your mind had some sort of block around it..." He chuckled, "I had thought you were Maurice at the time too! Your DNA matched so perfectly with his that I had to do a double take." I heard a robotized sigh, "Sorry about the scare..."

I giggled softly, "It's alright. I've been though worse." Another chuckle.

"I know." He looked at me again, "I'm sorry I wasn't able to get there in time." He stopped before a huge red and gold door that made all the other doors look small in comparison, "Something weird has been going on lately. Maurice...um, Sonic is gone, and so are all the people he's had close contact with..."

"Who is Sonic and why is he so important?" I threw my hands up, "He's all I seem to hear about these days! He's even in my dreams-but with that name you just said..." I could feel his shock in my mind.

There was a soft static, then, "You don't remember?" He took me off his shoulders and stared at me with concerned, glowing red eyes, "You don't recognize me?"

I looked into his eyes, then down at the floor, "You seem familiar...this all seems familiar." I felt dejected again, "But...no. I'm sorry..." A tear fell down my face, the frustration overwhelming as I tried to remember. His claw-like finger wiped it away gently.

"It's...probably for the best." He decided, a smile filling my mind, "Everyone calls me Metal Sonic, but you can call me Burakku. It's..what my real creator called me." He chuckled, "It's nice to meet you."

He let me back down onto the ground and held out his hand. I took it, a small smile breaking over my face.

"Nice to meet you, Burakku!" A small flash filled my mind, the idea of having done this once before hammering at the walls of my amnesia. His grip, eyes, and demeanor was comforting, reminding...and the smile on my face became one of fond remembrance. I knew that I knew him, but couldn't remember where or when, nor for how long. I just knew that I could trust him, and that he had been important to me long ago. Even the name was familiar, and my smile grew brighter with that knowledge.

A happy noise was in the air again, "Why don't we say hello to my knew employer, huh?" His eyes searched me, and I nodded.

The door opened while we stood there, hand in hand to a huge, metal room filled with mechanical devices. They lined the walls, much like with Tail's barn, but unlike the shed, there was a huge machine in front of an even larger window that looked out into crashing, blue waves that were spanned across the horizon.

This machine had seven windows on it, all static and blurred out besides one. It was a red and black hunky robot, and promiscuous bat in the corner. They seemed fine, and were chatting as they walked carefully through abandoned, ancient streets...my eyes widened in shock as a black robot entered the scene. But before I could do anything, the screen filled with static, and they were gone.

The huge, black chair in front of the screens moved, and a heavy, gloved fist came down on the machine. A goofy, angry voice filled the air.

"Damn it all!" I jumped at the sound, "He got everyone..." His voice sounded sad, then he suddenly whirled around in the chair, causing my heart to miss yet another beat as he cried out, "That's it! I'm going to get them back-" He stopped, his black glasses staring at me in a stunned silence.

He has big, but for some reason, also not. He had skinny arms and legs, but a blown up belly. His head was small as well, but seemed almost mask-like as it didn't fit properly. What I assumed were glasses seemed to be glass holes in the mask for sight...plus he had some sort of goggles or strange glasses that wrapped around his bald head. His main feature was a huge, orange mustache that was amazing in stature, and he wore a red overcoat with gold buttons, and black pants that seemed to double as his boots. His hands were gloved in black, glistening fabric, and his funny mouth was still open from his last few words.

"Metal...who's this?" He looked so confused, and couldn't seem to focus on one side of me, "I thought I told you to find Sonic." He suddenly laughed, "If you think that's Sonic, then I need to fix your eyes...and your processor..." He thought for a moment, continuing to study me, "Scratch that. I have to fix everything..." He looked at him, and I could hear Burakku's laughter in my head though he showed no emotion in his eyes, "Why are you laughing?" A soft anger pulled at the corner of his mouth, "This is a serious matter!"

"I know this isn't Sonic." He said lightly, "But her DNA is identical." Suddenly, the man's face went from anger to astonishment to just plain confusion.

"Wait...you're telling me..." He couldn't even get out the sentence due to his shock. He stared at me again, "She...she isn't who was described..." His face then turned to horror, "What did he do to you?"

His fake eyebrows shot up and he stood to his feet. He was so tall, around six foot at least. Fear was etched into his mask, and I couldn't help but feel startled and a little scared. I wasn't scared of him, but I was scared of what he was talking about...even though I didn't know what that was.

"I need to find Sonic, now!" He declared, "If he could do this to..." He sunk back into his chair, his face falling into his hand. I felt sorry for the guy.

"We'll find Sonic, boss." I heard Burakku's voice again, "Don't even worry about it." The man nodded, and slowly got up. With a sigh, he walked over to me and knelt down.

"So...um.." He seemed at a loss for words, but the silly voice had disappeared, and in its place was the voice of an older man, "You can call me, Dr. Eggman..." He paused, trying to look for things to say as he pulled gently at his mustache. I liked this voice much better than the fake one he had been using. This one was kinder, and held concern for the people it was talking to….it was also less loud.

I looked down, my hand tightening on Burakku's hand, "It's nice to meet you, Dr. Eggman...but I can't really help you." I felt bad for having to say that, but it couldn't be helped. I wanted to help this man as he seemed nice and I actually really liked him. Thankfully Burakku decided to explain, his hand tightening protectively around mine.

"She...has amnesia..." Eggman's glass eyes seemed to widen, "My guess was that it was caused by some sort of overwhelming trauma." His voice was hesitant and he couldn't help but whir in-between some of the words.

"You can't remember anything, child?" I nodded and the doctor became thoughtful, "No visions, or dreams? Nothing?"

"I have nightmares...but that's it." I relented quietly. He looked at Burakku, then back at me.

"Could you recount some of them, please?" He asked, and I obliged. I told him of the one where I was falling into the ocean, and the one with me and another little hedgehog running only for the little hedgehog to escape and me to be left behind. I continued with the one about the strange room with the seven crystals, and though it was harder to tell, I told him about the flashes of drowning that I get. By the end of my tale, he was sweating.

"And you don't think those are memories?" He tried calmly. But I could tell he was panicking, heck, I was panicking.

"...I hope they aren't." My voice was quiet. Burakku looked at me.

"Why?"

"I-I...They're all so violent, and dark! I don't want that to be my past…." Eggman became thoughtful again as he listened, "Because...if that was my past...then that will be my future too..." My eyes fell, "Wouldn't it?"

He sighed, "Your past doesn't determine your future." He stood and looked out the window, his eyes going back to elder days, "I know someone who had a hell of a past, and yet, he was probably the happiest little boy in the world…" He chuckled to himself, "The reason being; he didn't dell in the past." He looked back at me, "He looked to the future." He knelt back down and took my shoulder, "You may have had a horrible past, and I'm not making light of that fact, but it's only if you live in that past that it messes with your future." He smiled, "Pain doesn't last forever. Sooner or later, that cloud will break, and you will see the happiness you missed out on so long ago." He was so sincere that I had to wonder what's happened to him in the past.

I stared into his eyes, a flicker of emerald on the other side, "How do you know so much?"

"Experience." We stared at each other for a couple seconds, but the base had suddenly become alight with crimson warning. My ears rung with the loud beeping. Burakku started looking around for the source, but Eggman just kept smiling, and put a strange device around my wrist, "Take this, it will help you find me and Metal." He seemed to know what was coming.

"Where are you going?" I was so confused. This was all going by so fast...I could hardly keep up.

"Don't worry about it...just..." He took my hand and led me to the huge device in front of the window and directed me to a little hidden, metal box beneath his chair. Without much effort, I climbed in and he shut the metal door, "Hide here, and don't come out until you know it's safe. You may be the only one who can save us in the end." He smiled through the slits in the metal and vanished.

It wasn't long before I heard shattered glass, and a huge struggle. Eggman was yelling at something in that goofy voice and I could hear the sounds of many robots filling the room. Then, everything went silent. I was almost too afraid to come out, as I didn't know who might be out there. For some reason, I was waiting for Eggman or Burakku to open the door and tell me everything was okay...but that never happened. Instead, the box began to get darker as a fading, golden light filled the slits.

Finally, I opened the door, and found the room was trashed and empty of anybody besides a large, red and gray crab-like robot that was watching me sadly. The sun was going down over the water, and I could hear a beeping coming from my wrist.

I walked up to the robot, and seeing it's harmless intent, sat beside it and petted its hard shell, "Don't worry little robot, I'll find them." It nuzzled itself into my fur and relaxed in my lap.

I looked out the window to watch the sunset, and when the last light faded away, I carefully lifted the poor robot off of my legs, stood up, and looked at the beeping thing on my wrist.

I opened it, and found a map, as well as two blue dots surrounded by red ones. I held the device to my chest, a new purpose forming in my mind.

"I will save you...all of you." I whispered softly to myself, and took off running faster than the speed of sound on the twilit road to hell.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

 _An electric shock swept through my body like a current, the pain making me scream in bitter agony. I was a child once again filled with fear, drowning in my own tears as The Good Doctor filled my lungs with acid, and my breaking heart with a black poison._

" _Please!" I screamed, the cry bloodcurdling, and hoarse. I couldn't breath...I couldn't think. I was a caged animal, bound within the deepest dungeon that cruelty had to offer._

 _His voice came back, the numbness chilling, "Vitals stable, bring it to 100%."_

 _Suddenly, everything was gone. The jolts and jabs slowly faded into a frozen white void...and I was alone._

 _I looked around, walking slowly on the blank floor. My footsteps echoed, yet my voice went unheard, "Kuro?" I tried...but there was no answer._

 _I fell to the floor, eternity sinking it's claws into my shattered heart. My tears were silent as they fell, tear by tear creating a lake beneath me. I couldn't think..I still couldn't breath. I wheezed and coughed as I cried, the act of doing so too taxing for my burnt lungs._

 _A soft hand fell on my shoulder, but I didn't care anymore, "Leave me alone..." I whispered, my voice too broken to fully speak, "I just want to cry…." My hands balled into fists, anger drenching what was left of my heart, "Is that too much to ask…?"_

 _A woman's voice answered, "Maurice..." Her voice reminded me of a lady lost to time...a mother who had done all she could to save the brats she loved from their own father's influence, "It's okay to cry, darling." She pulled me into a hug, her golden aura filling my violent, faded mind with a quiet peace. My tiny arms wrapped around her, and I cried silently into her silken, white dress while she petted behind my ears softly._

" _Who?" My tears were falling faster, confusion filling them as I tried to understand the peace I was feeling. Was this okay? Was I allowed to feel happiness….or was it just for everyone else?_

" _My name, dear child, is_ _Chumon." Her voice felt like a lullaby, the rhythm and melody filling my head with the much desired sleep I had always wished for. My tears began to slow, and before long, she was carrying me in her arms, rocking me to sleep as she walked along the plains of my existence._

" _Chu...mon?" I repeated, yawning quietly within her warm arms. She smiled._

" _Yes, my darling son." I looked up into her warm, crimson eyes, her glittering, golden fur comforting_ _to me. There was no more pain...no more suffering. I finally got to feel true happiness, and I never wanted this feeling to end._

 _Out of the corner of my vision, I noticed that my fur too seemed to have turned a beautiful gilded hue._

 _My saddened heart mended itself, and my face broke into a happy smile, a small giggle escaping my damaged vocal cords. She smiled back and kissed my forehead._

 _A silent prayer rest there now, her voice drifting me to sleep with her last wish, "May Chaos never find you dearest daisy, and true freedom grace your captured heart. I wish for you the happiest of days, and the fondest of friends. May the flowers welcome you, and the trees protect you." In that one motherly act, she gave me more than I ever deserved, "May we meet again, Maurice. But I will watch, and love you till then..."_ _A single tear fell from her pure eyes, and onto my chest. It was a tear I would never wish to forget, and even as everything faded to black, her peaceful lullaby filled my heart with a trait I had never truly understood till now...love and forgiveness._

My sore eyes opened to an Eggman mask staring down at me with worried bifocals. Needless to say, I screamed, jumped, then fell off the bed with a heroic yelp of pain and shock. I then proceeded to gag and choke on my own spit...or was that water? I couldn't tell. I was choking on it...end of story.

Eggman also cried out in shock, and stood up quickly. This in turn knocked over the chair he was sitting in and alerted everyone in the room to the hedgehog quickly turning purple on the floor. I couldn't get any bluer.

I remembered this room. The blue walls with red circles and squares were all too familiar to me as the blue carpet cushioned my unscheduled landing. I was lying between two blue beds of similar stature and shape with a rather large, black, bedside table standing in the middle with me.

Through my coughing fit, I also noticed that the once tiny room had been expanded to house five new bunk beds with matching blue covers and black, metal bars. That was when I also realized that another blue bed like mine and the one to the left of it stood to the right of mine...Yeah, my bed was now in the middle of the room with two matching beds on either side of it, and two rows of bunk beds resting against the expanded walls all the way to the heavy metal door.

Stuffed toys littered the floor, a dejected bee and saddened two-tailed fox playing blankly with them. At least, they were until I woke up. Shadow and Knuckles had been talking to each other, it looked like, in the darkest corner of the room near the door, and my other friends, Amy, Rouge, Espio, and Vector seemed to have been either reading or staring at the bed's ceilings as they laid uncomfortably in them.

Finally, my coughing subsided a bit, and with a little effort, I also saw Metal Sonic and a huge black, gray, and red robot named Omega in the opposite corner of Shadow and Knuckles. They looked as though they had been fighting(with words, not weapons) as an angry finger was pointed at Omega, and gripped claws were raised towards Metal.

Everyone had gone completely silent, watching me, staring at me as I continued to turn purple, until Eggman came around and began to pat me on the back, "Sonic..you're awake!" He said in that stupid, false voice. I growled and tried to crawl beneath the bed, but another coughing fit interrupted my anger.

"Leave-*gasp*- me-*cough, gag*- alone..." I pounded the floor, frustration at my own weakness getting to me, "Eggman." I managed to crawl beneath my bed, the coughing subsiding once again as I growled angrily at him.

He backed away and sat against Kuro's bed. His masked eyes watched me with a sadness that I dared not even try to understand, "Sonic...you know you can't stay under there forever." He said gently, "I'm not going to hurt you anymore...promise."

Red filled my eyes, "LIAR!" I barked, my heart aching. He had been the last person I wanted to see...yet here he was, feigning innocence, "After all you've done, you think I'm just going to trust you?" My voice was menacing, "Leave me alone...you've done enough already." I curled up, seething in the darkness. He just continued to watch, a hurt look coming to the false face he wore. I didn't care. After all he's done, he deserved it.

"I'm not asking you to trust me." He told me softly, a hushed warmth filling his voice, "I'm just asking you to come out from under the bed." He reached a hand toward my back in an effort to try to drag me out by the scruff, but I growled and raised my quills in defiance, "Please, Sonic!" He tried again, but I continued to refuse.

"Get away!" I felt trapped and helpless, and my archnemisis trying to take me by the scruff of the neck did not help the matter.

"Stubborn..." He started grumbling in frustration, and then suddenly snapped, "What am I going to do to you?! I'm trapped here too, Sonic!" He cried out, "And not only that, but I'm surrounded by your close friends!" His hand ignored the spines and grabbed the scruff of my neck. His face winced in pain as he pulled me out and held me up to his face, "Why are you so stubborn? I'm only trying to help." He placed me on my bed and checked his hand.

My quills had gone straight through the gloves and poked holes in his fingers and hands...I had to look away as blood greeted my eyes. My quills fell and with them, my anger. My eyes blinked to look at the messy blankets that barely covered my feet.

"That's gonna leave a mark..." Eggman grumbled to himself as he took off his glove and examined his large, pin-cushioned hand. Now I just felt bad, but I was also too stubborn to say sorry, so I stayed silent. He picked up on this and smiled. I turned away, crossing my arms in defiance as I did.

My rivals, friends and robotic enemies had all gathered around my bed at this point, listening to my reaction to Eggman. Some were on the two beds closest, while others just stood there, and still others sat on the ground watching in a wary fascination. I looked at them, a plague of guilt raiding my heart as I did. I had gotten them into this...and I didn't know how to get them out…

"Sonic? Are you..." Amy sat on the bed, tears in her eyes as she watched me with those beautiful emeralds. I closed my eyes, waiting for her question, but it was Shadow who piped up this time.

"What the hell was that?" His shock was gone, anger and frustration replacing it. He walked towards me menacingly and I backed up against the wall, his burning eyes fiery and wild.

"What was what?" I put out a hand as I pressed myself against the red square on the wall. This didn't deter him though as he pinned me by the neck and got ready to punch. Eggman began trying to pry him off me, while the others were yelling for him to knock it off, but he didn't budge.

"You died, Faker." He stated bluntly, "Cousins my ass, you're not even Mobian." The frightened look in my eyes vanished, making him blink for a second. My friends all stopped their cries for my release..all besides Eggman, who kept trying to pry his hands away from my throat.

"Shadow! Leave him be!" He was saying, "He's not ready yet!" But Shadow continued to ignore him. He wanted answers, and in truth, so did I.

"I am very much Mobian." I stated calmly, "My mother could tell you that." He growled, his free hand beginning to glow a dark red aura.

My heart began to pound harder and harder with each passing second. I could feel his power as it grew, feeding off of his anger. I had no reason to defend myself, but I also knew that this punch was going to hurt really, really bad.

"Then how in Gaia's name are you still alive?" He was seething, his eyes frenzied, "You flat-lined! Even I would've died."

"I don't know." I told him, but he didn't believe me.

"Liar. You gave me that line before the Water Punishment, but you knew all about that!" My friends no longer knew who to root for, so they just watched in stunned silence.

"Then hit me." I growled, "I don't care anymore." I truly didn't care anymore. In some ways, I deserved this punch.

"...Why did you lie about the punishment?" His voice was a bit calmer, but his eyes were still wild.

I hesitated, "Just hit me already!" I Screwed my eyes shut, waiting, but the hand around my neck only grew tighter, and before long, I was just staring blankly at him. My mouth was open, trying to breathe, but I couldn't.

"Stop, Shadow!" Tails's voice filled my ears, and Shadow's hand released a bit. A small, choked breath filled my lungs, "Don't kill him!" His pained words stabbed my heart, and with another pang of guilt, I realized he was holding back tears. He stood, his hands balled into fists, staring directly into my eyes. The orbs of brilliant blue were angry, cold, and I couldn't help but want to crawl beneath the bed once again. I could handle Shadow...but Tails was a completely different tale.

He growled softly, then, in a fit of uncontrollable rage, jumped onto the bed, pushed Shadow out of the way, and slapped me across the face. I didn't blame him, nor was I angry. I took it in a shameful silence, and he began to cry. His eyes changed from the beautiful blue to a sea green, and with a frustrated outcry, proceeded to hug me as tightly as he could. He didn't dare let go, and at that point, I didn't want him to.

I was holding back the choking fit my lungs wanted, and slowly put my arms around him in a protective hug. He was my dearest friend...no, my dearest little brother, and the idea that he would have to go through this with me was earth shattering. He didn't deserve it, and neither did the rest of my friends.

He cried onto my bare stomach, and grasped my quills with both hands weakly. I petted his head quietly, hoping beyond hope that he would be set free, "I'm sorry, Tails...I-"

"Don't..." He cried, "It….it's not your fault!" My heart broke in half at those words. "It's not your fault"...but then, who's is it? I'm the one who escaped on that dark day. If I hadn't, then this would never have happened…

Eggman piped up beside us, "He's right you know." I bit my tongue, the retort unsuitable for Tails's ears.

Shadow watched us as he leaned against Kuro's bed, his arms folded, and his curiosity raised, "What exactly happened between you and Eggman, Sonic?" His voice was dark and angry, but his crimson eyes had returned to normal.

I took a shaky breath, "It's none of your business." I shot him an angry look, but he just continued to prod and poke.

"Well, considering that he just said something nice to you and you had an R rated comment ready, tells me that there's something more to you two than just hero and villain." I rolled my eyes at this deduction.

"Yeah, no kidding, Sherlock." I said sarcastically. Tails gripped my quills harder, and I couldn't help but wince a little and look down. His face was out to the side now, and his eyes seeming to be completely lost.

"I can tell you." Eggman said, the stupid, mocking voice grating to hear. I growled at him.

"Don't even think about it." He crossed his arms, then pointed to the eager ears around the room.

"They're going to find out eventually, and I'd rather it be now." He told me sternly, "So either you tell it, or I will."

"Why would you want to tell them?" I snarled, "Oh, wait," A cold chortle escaped my lips, "You're going to pin the blame on me." He stared at me in amazement.

"How on Mobius do you expect me to pin a betrayal on a nine year old hedgehog who wouldn't hurt a fly?" His voice fluctuated and fell into the voice I used to know. It was a little bit older than before, but it was definitely his real voice.

Tails let go and stared at him, "Your voice..." He said quietly, and Amy joined in.

"It..changed." She put her hand to her mouth in shock. I guess, having never heard his real voice, it was quite a shock to actually hear it. His real voice was quite handsome, and comforting, while the voice he had been using, though once made me laugh, now was obnoxious and loud.

He took off the mask and deflated his stomach, the scrawny man that I grew up with now staring me in the face with those dazzling, emerald eyes. His red hair was still thick and curly, but his acne had cleared up, and his face just looked older in general.

I looked away and crossed my arms, "You looked better with the mask, Robotnik." I growled, "It suited you better."

"Sonic-" He tried, but I wasn't listening.

"Tell your lies..." I got off the bed and began walking to the door, "I'll be over here." I sat there in front of the door, waiting.

He hesitated, but soon his voice echoed across the room, my friends listening intently to a tale I had hidden away from them. This was the rock in my way I wished to forget, and the one I would skip over in the story. I made the mistake of trusting him as a child. I took him for granted...then, when I was the most vulnerable, he broke me. I've been fighting him ever since.

He began his tale, the audience, both unwilling, and interested, listening with bated breath, "I guess I should start from the beginning..." He cleared his throat, "I first met Sonic when I was still living in my mother's basement...literally. I found him in the middle of the street beneath a flickering lamppost, bleeding, malnourished, and in all honesty, dying." I heard both Tails and Amy gasp, their tears beginning once again. I closed my eyes, my breath filled with a faded anger as I too remembered this tale. He continued, "He was so battered, that at the time, I couldn't tell that he was blue...I thought he was brown." I chuckled softly at this.

"Yeah...You seemed quite shocked when I told you my color..." I said quietly, "Bet you thought I was colorblind." He laughed at this.

"That would've been quite the colorblindness!" He chuckled, "But in all seriousness…When I examined him at home, I found that he had broken ribs, a broken arm, and so many cuts and bruises that I was really impressed that he was alive." I hung my head.

"You should've left me. I would've been fine." I said, my sorrow taking over.

"Hush you." He said in an even sillier voice than before. I heard the bed creak and suddenly, I was in the air.

"Hey!" I protested, but all my anger had flowed out of me, and I forgot to fight. Robotnik had picked me up, walked back to the middle bed, and placed me on his lap. I crossed my arms and closed my eyes stubbornly, but he only laughed.

"That's better!" His laugh was back to the way I remembered it, and my heart began to melt. But I was determined to remain his mortal enemy, "Now, where was I?" He asked, scratching behind my ears.

I was growling softly, but he didn't seem to notice, "You were at the part where you were supposed to leave me behind." He always knew where to pet and it wasn't fair. That place behind my ears was so comforting, and I couldn't help but like it. But I didn't want to. I wanted to jump off his lap and sit beside the door again! I didn't want to be cheered up! I wanted to be sad!

Now he was using both hands on both of my ears, and my growling stopped, "Ah yes, thank you, Sonic." I opened my eyes, and tried to shoo away his hands.

"Stop! I don't want to be cheered up!" I said in as angry of a voice as possible, but he just smiled.

"Yes, but I want to cheer you up. So there." He decided. I crossed my arms again and turned away. He continued his tale, everyone now quite awed by this display of affection, "He had called himself Maurice at the time, and he had been six years old, about to turn seven. I couldn't believe the abuse he had gone through. His injuries were horrid..but when I asked him about it while I was washing the blood away,-" I cut him off.

"That part wasn't a lie." I chimed in, "I was beaten severely by a gang in the town you were in. Before that, I had been running...running far away from this place." That last part was whispered, but everyone heard it.

"So those kids…." Now Robotnik was appalled, "If you had just said that, I could've done something about them!" I whirled around.

"And what would that be? They would've just beaten you up!" I decided.

"I am much bigger than you. If anything, I could have called the police on them!" He wasn't angry, but he wasn't happy either.

I shrugged, "For what? An experimental hedgehog that escaped from it's original owner?" We were staring into each others' eyes, seething quietly.

"You don't belong to him!" He growled, "If anything, I'm supposed to be your guardian." I laughed coldly.

"A great job you've done!" I said sarcastically. He closed his eyes, and I was sure he was going to put me back beside the door, but instead, he pulled me into a hug and continued to scratch behind my ears.

"You have no idea..." His voice sounded close to crying, "I've missed you so much, Sonic..." Stubbornness was the one thing that kept me from hugging back..as I have missed him too. He had been my true big brother, and his betrayal had truly shattered my heart to pieces.

"I...why?" I tried to push away, but he held firm, "Why did you betray me then?" I cried out, "I trusted you!" I was pounding on his chest like the kid that I was, anger filling the harsh notes in my throat. I was still that young child, unable to understand it. No matter how many reasons he or the good doctor gave, it never seemed like enough.

"You had just turned nine when I found out about your real past. Before this point, I had always thought that you had run away from an orphanage, leaving your twin sister behind." He held me out and put his hand over my mouth, knowing that I had a nasty retort in store at that last remark, "But the day we got the TV in the basement, I found hundreds of old tapes in my father's bedroom. Some of them were of me and mom, but most of them were of you two." My eyes widened, my mind returning to that night he said he had been watching horror movies.

He dropped his hand, my realization escaping my lips, "You were watching her drown." He nodded, my head sinking to rest in my own lap. I couldn't cry, but I couldn't smile either. So I just stared, unblinking into the void. My mind was overwhelmed with this new information, and I didn't know how to release it.

"That was when I knew I had to save you from him...At the time, I didn't know how to do that. I didn't want to lose you, or hurt you...but deep down, I knew what needed to be done." I didn't want to hear the rest, and tried to escape. But he held me on his lap, and began to pet this one spot on my neck that had always been comforting. I was shaking my head.

"You're just trying to trick me again!" My mind had been trained to think of him as an enemy for so long, that the opposite seemed impossible. The idea that he cared...that he could be good in any way had been beaten out of me so many times that I wasn't even sure if what was happening was true.

"Though I had been teaching him for years, I decided to send him to school in order to give myself some time to create a special robot..." I stopped fighting and looked at him. He closed his eyes.

"And here I thought you were just tired of me." The sarcasm was back, but he didn't even look at me.

"The day it was done, I took him downstairs to see it and promised him a glorious future. I told him that it would create an amazing hero that would even be able to save his sister..." He hung his head and held onto me tightly. I didn't resist, the memory of that day filling my head.

I remembered the excitement at the prospect of a hero like that. At the time, all I ever wanted was to see my sister again, and he knew that...I had been so happy. I watched as everyone's eyes grow wide with what he said next:

"But what I didn't tell him was that the hero would be him." He said sadly, "That night, I hid a list of things I "wanted" to do once the robot was operational on the work table." I was shaking my head, unable to believe it, "I knew he would go down there if he woke up for no reason...so I shook the innocent thing and pretended to sleep once he was awake. He did just as I knew he would...and he found the horrid thing." His eyes were screwed shut as though this were the most horrible thing he had ever did, "I couldn't describe his anger to you even if I tried...I threw him out shortly after receiving his answer to joining me on my make believe quest for world domination." I hung my head, my heart bleeding.

"No." I replied, my heart sinking, "But what if I had said...yes?" I asked, my eyes wide, and dark. My fight was gone, the answers to my past I had been seeking for so long painful to hear.

"If you had said, "Yes", then I would've had to make you hate me some other way." He chuckled softly, "In some ways, I was glad you said "no" the first time..." He didn't have to finish that sentence.

My stubborn mind wouldn't accept this. It wasn't true...he was lying! He was the enemy! He was just trying to gain my trust in order to hurt me again.

"You're a liar." I sounded out softly, "This is just another trick." I began to try and break free again, but Tails walked up to me and put his small, industrial hand on my head. I looked up at him, confused and hurt.

"I believe him." He said quietly, "Think about, Sonic." I screwed my eyes shut, unable to accept the truth, "If he wanted to, he could've really hurt you many times. Instead, he warned you of his attacks, and showed you multiple times how to disarm them." Tails's mouth spoke many truths, but I still didn't want to hear them. His blue eyes saw wisdom, but I wanted to remain blind.

Then, my eyes opened for a few seconds. Why was I fighting this so hard? Tails trusted him, and he doesn't trust anybody unless they're speaking truly…

"You know he's not lying, Faker." Shadow growled from Kuro's bed, "I can see it in your eyes." I shook my head, unable to say anything.

Knuckles walked up, "Look..Sonic. I know you don't really trust my truth radar, but I do believe that he's telling it." He crossed his arms, "If nothing else, look how patient he is with you right now. He pulled you away from the door and has been trying to calm you down ever since."

Amy chimed in from right next to me, "He's definitely not the Eggman I remember. His voice has changed, and so has his demeanor..." I chuckled lightly.

"Where did that voice come from, if I might ask..." Vector questioned from the front bunk on the left. Robotnik smiled.

"It was a voice I had used to cheer Sonic up when he was a little kid." He said happily, his memories flowing fast and free, "I called myself Dr. Eggman, and I tried to make him laugh with the goofy character." I remained silent, a redness coming to my face.

"Oh, that makes sense!" Charmy said with a big, happy smile. Charmy is a little six year old bee with a pink rimmed, black helmet and an orange life jacket. His eyes are a cute amber, and his voice is adorable. He normally hangs out with his pals Espio and Vector, which was probably the reason he was captured. Where Cream lived with her mother who never really goes on adventures with me, Charmy lived with a special detective agency that would tag along with me and Tails on many seperate occasions. Well...it wasn't moral, but it at least made sense.

"Alright, fine." I startled everyone, "I believe you...for now." I closed my eyes, "But I still don't trust you...you have to earn that back." My eyes opened and I stared into his. He nodded, our eyes locked, but then separated.

He gave me another hug, and this time, I hugged him back. I really did miss him...but I learned a long time ago not to let your feelings tell you who to trust. Everyone in the room cheered, besides Shadow and Knuckles, obviously, and I couldn't help but feel a little bit better. I was reunited with my long lost brother who I now knew had given up everything for me.

"Robotnik?" I asked quietly beneath the cheering, "When we get out of here...why don't you and I go for a walk in the park? It would be nice to catch up." His happy chuckle filled my ears, making me smile softly.

"You betcha kiddo." He responded, letting me go and staring into my eyes, "It's a promise." That light from long ago had returned to his eyes, the childlike innocence giving me a sense of comfort and peace. And for the first time in a long time, though we were all trapped here in the darkness, I saw the light.

For years, I had taught myself to take comfort in my running, as that was what I did to cheer myself up when I cried. I had taught myself to smile and smirk in the darkest of times, even when I didn't see the light. But the one thing that I taught myself to do the most was to close myself off to the people around me. As a child, I was too trusting...too soft. So in the midst of fighting my only friend for six years, I had tried to lose that part...but in doing so, I became the loneliest hedgehog on Mobius. It was only when I met Tails that I was able to somewhat trust again.

With Tails, he had been too young to understand betrayal, and I took him under my wing. I realized that kids younger than me were the least likely to betray me, and so I surrounded myself with them. First it was Tails, then it was Knuckles,(He's one year older than me, but he's proved himself.) Amy followed shortly after, and my arsenal of friends slowly grew. But Tails was special because he was the first, and the most loyal. He also was an orphan, like me, and had been bullied by kids his age because of his tails and superior brain. He was my little bro, and I was determined to never do to him what my big bro did to me. I guess you could call him my second chance at a happy life.

"Hey, Doc." Shadow asked suddenly, the cheering having gone down, "The Good Doctor said something about me and Sonic being cousins. What do you know about this?" I sat looking up at Robotnik as he responded:

"Well, the reason I unlocked you was because of that actually." He told him, and his eyes widened, "Sonic's mother had an older sister named, Martha, who donated..uh..-" He cleared his throat as there were children in the room who still didn't understand how babies were made, "-to the ARK. This is the reason you turned out to be a hedgehog similar in appearance to Sonic and his sister. In fact, judging by your quills and demeanor, you are an edgy middle." Shadows arms fell and his eyes were now so wide that they looked like crimson saucers, "Because of the way Sonic picked up friends, I hoped that you two would bond and become friends. But instead, you were angry and vengeful when you woke up and vowed to follow my orders." He shrugged, his large hands holding my chest, "I was somewhat successful. You two are now friendly rivals which is second best."

The laboratory, ARK, Robotnik is referring to is a lab in space that tried to come up with a cure for a terrible disease called NIDS. A young child named, Maria, who happened to be Robotnik's cousin, had this terrible disease. In an effort to save her life, Gerald Robotnik, Robotnik's grandfather, created Shadow. But the tests with him didn't get very far before the government shut down the program due to it being deemed 'too dangerous'. The GUN soldiers killed Maria while she was helping Shadow escape, and in the end, Shadow was sealed for fifty years with her death playing again and again in his head.

So yeah...fun memory to bring up. Shadow re-crossed his arms, grunted softly, then walked into the original corner I had found him in. My guess was that he was reminiscing on his life...I couldn't blame him..I was too.

Suddenly the door opened, and in came dear little Okami, his brother, and the two black bunnies from before. I looked up at Robotnik who sighed and put me down. We were herded out in single file.

 **To Be Continued...**


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

 _ **(Kali: Sonic, get back here!**_

 _ **Sonic: But it's Kuro's turn?**_

 _ **Kali: No it's not. You still got a little more to go...I couldn't fit the entire thing into a single chapter.**_

 _ **Sonic: (groans) Alright...here we go again.**_

 _ **Kali: Oh, one last thing!**_

 _ **Sonic: A paper? What's it for?**_

 _ **Kali: Just read it.**_

 _ **Sonic: "The songs, Angels Fall, and Hollow are not my songs. They both belong to Breaking Benjamin..." Blah blah blah, "So as not to go against copyright..."**_

 _ **Kali: Don't say it.**_

 _ **Sonic: (Grins evilly) No copyright law in the universe is going to stop me!**_

 _ **Kali: (Smacks head) Just speak into the microphone…**_

 _ **Tails: (Downstairs) Sonic, what are you doing?**_

 _ **Sonic and Kali: Nothing!)**_

Where was I? Oh yes:

The halls' blinding white walls were harsh on all our eyes, and we couldn't help but squint. The air seemed fresh and cool, but deep down, it felt evil.

The line went like this: First it was me, then Amy, Shadow, Robotnik, Tails, Espio, Vector, Metal Sonic, Charmy, Omega, and then Rouge. The two heartless bunny twins were at the back, and in the front were Bani and Okami. They were keeping a good watch on us, all the while leading us to a probably very gruesome experiment.

We weren't tied, and the sedatives had finally worn off, so I did what any respectable Sonic would do...I looked for a way to escape. If the layout was the same as it had been before, then there would be an air vent leading to the outside right behind this sad line. The only problem with that plan was that the bunnies beside Rouge were expecting that. Thus was the reason they were back there to begin with.

No, I couldn't do that again. Not only would it be a slim chance of even making it there, but there was no way to get everyone out in time. The vent was too small.

I closed my eyes, thinking. I had never seen the exit that The Good Doctor had to have in order to get to the surface, but I knew it was somewhere. If I had to hazard a guess, it would have had to be in his office...but I didn't know where that was either….

"What are you doing?" Okami asked suddenly, bringing me out of my thoughts.

I shook my head and shrugged, "Just thinking." Bani began to giggle childishly, his robotic hands covering his cute mouth.

"That's dangerous!" He said jokingly. Everyone behind us, though they were looking down before, all looked up.

"What are you thinking about?" Okami pressed, but I wasn't interested in telling him.

"Stuff." I responded. The group behind me became very interested in the conversation. I couldn't blame them, there was nothing else to really focus on in this eternal hallway.

"Is it about your girlfriend?" Bani asked, a smirk written on his robotic face, "That's so cute!" He put his hands to his face and began to giggle madly. I blushed.

"I don't have a girlfriend." I said through my teeth, crossing my arms even as I walked.

Okami didn't believe me and put his arms behind his head casually, "What about that cute pink girl called, Amy? Your heart rate goes way up when you're around her." I was blushing furiously now, and I was trying to think of a good comeback, but Bani beat me to it.

"Yeah, not even running as fast as you do gets your heartbeat up as high as she does!" I looked behind myself to find that everyone was watching in a smirking fascination. The girl in question had a strange gleam in her eyes at this new information.

My face turned beat red and I whirled back around, "You don't know what you're talking about." I said heatedly, crossing my arms and looking to the ground.

"You're blushing!" Okami said loudly, and they both started laughing. I kept my eyes to the ground and my ears in the air, despite the fact that my eyes wanted to look behind me, and my ears wanted to fall. Finally, their laughter stopped, and Okami looked me in the eyes, "You were thinking of escape weren't you?" I looked at him, then at Bani, then at the ground.

Okami was very good at making me feel guilty, "What if I was?" I closed my eyes. There was no reason to feel guilty from wanting to run from this place...so why did he make me feel that way?

"If you were, then we'd have to do something about that." Okami explained. Bani joined in.

"We have orders to make sure you don't even think of escape!" He said this as though that were the best job in the world.

"What would you two do?" I was curious now, the idea made my eyes grow wide.

"Well..were you thinking of escaping?" Okami prompted. Fear gnawed quietly at my heart as I looked into Okami's glinting black and red eyes.

Well...no one said that I was smart, "Yes..but-" I was in the wall, Okami's fist hitting me square in the face with no warning at incredible speeds. I sat there, dazed, as everyone stared at me in shock, all besides Okami and Bani who stood there smiling.

"I warned you." Okami said with a shrug. He grabbed my right arm while Bani grabbed my left. They pulled me to my feet, and because I was still dazed, they held onto me as we all continued walking. I heard Knuckles, Espio, Vector, and Shadow's voices echo angrily as the bunnies behind us retrained them. Even Robotnik, who was driven by logic, had to make a snide remark.

"That was completely uncalled for." He said crossly. Okami looked back at him.

"We have no choice. If Sonic decides to escape again..." He began, but then went quiet again. Bani decided to finish for him.

"We don't want him to leave...none of us do." He finished. All smiles were gone, and I was fighting once more.

"What did I ever do to you guys?" I was struggling against their iron grip, but they held firm.

"You didn't do anything to us." Okami said quietly, "We just missed you..." He looked into my defiant, emerald eyes, and let go. Bani did the same, and we were once again walking side by side by side. I shook my head.

"This isn't the way to treat someone you've "missed"." I said angrily, the air quotes notable to all who heard, "Trapping them in a room and taking them to be experimented on almost every hour is what I would call hating someone with the fiery passion of a thousand suns." My arms were crossed once more, and as I looked at them, their heads sank.

Bani remained silent while Okami spoke for them both, "You know we were programmed that way. We can't change that...but just know that we don't hate you..." He looked close to crying, and my hands fell to my sides, "I, at least think of you as my best friend." He told me, and I watched as a single black tear fell from his upturned face, "And I can only hope that you think the same with me." His glowing, red eyes were filled with hope, and despite his programmed friendliness, I saw that deep within, he had true emotions. Those emotions spilled out now in black tears as he looked into my eyes with a happiness that I had only seen from those who, after years of waiting, finally got to see their best friend.

I had seen this look time and time again on many of my Mobian friends, but it was only now that I saw that look kindled in the heart of an innocent robot. I remembered him, and I remembered how he used to play with me and my sister while we were here. I could talk to him when no one else would listen...he had truly been my best friend when I was a child. He had been my first real friend. I guess...I never really understood that till now.

I used to block out all memories of this place, including the memories of him, when I was finally able to escape. I had always written him off as just being programmed to be nice to me. However, looking into his sincere eyes now, I realized that he had been my friend, not because he was programmed to, but because he wanted to.

My eyes fell to the ground, a soft pain filling my heart, "Of course I think of you as a friend..." My voice was quiet, and I could hear the heavy echo of our feet on the white floor below us. It pounded against my heart with this realization, and hammered my head with it's ringing fists. I had taught myself so any things trying to make sure that I would never be hurt again..and now, I was forced to unlearn them, or be destroyed by their unwelcome truth.

I had told myself so many times that Robotnik was evil and never truly cared; that he had only saved me to use me for my speed. I had told myself that all these robots were programmed and heartless; that they had only been kind because of a set of ones and zeroes. I had told myself that my sister was dead, and that I would never see her again. All of these things have been talked out, knocked out, and drowned out of me, but the happy truth was harder to hear, and just left me confused.

We continued walking, the sound of marching footsteps hitting me with yet more guilt. Finally someone spoke up...it was Shadow's voice. I turned to look and found that he had replaced Amy right behind me, and she was behind him. I guess they had a harder time controlling him back there.

"Hey, Faker," Why did he still have to call me that, "The Good Doctor mentioned before that you were harder to capture than even I was. Yet, you told us that you had been asleep." Really? He still remembered that? I sighed, the answer short and sweet.

"Why ask that now?" I began walking backwards in order to talk to him. Okami and Bani giggled at this but continued to look forward. It wasn't like I was holding up the line or anything, so they had no reason to stop me.

His eyes were filled with fire, but his voice was calm and dark, "I'm just curious as to the nature of your actual capture. That's all." His hands were balled into fists and his eyes glared at me even though he was smirking.

"Long story short, they overwhelmed me." I said, turning back around. I was actually quite glad that Shadow had said something; it got me away from my thoughts, "The black crab and bee robots came from all directions and for a few moments, I thought they were Robotnik's, but their color and demeanor was all wrong. There were hundreds, and I went super in order to try and combat them..." My eyes trailed the floor with this memory, "I don't know how many I destroyed, but I do remember that I destroyed quite a few-"

"3, 388, to be exact." Okami piped up happily, I nodded in his direction and continued.

"But I guess one of them got behind me, and as soon as my rings depleted, it stabbed me through the chest." I turned back around and found that they were all now staring at my chest, then at my eyes, and back at my chest...I guess getting stabbed in the bosom is a little bit fatal...But then, so is drowing.

"So that black blood was yours." Shadow's eyes lit up with this new information, but they were still too dark to say weather it was from excitement or enlightenment. I was kind of surprised he didn't notice before, but I guess the shock kept him from seeing it. Plus, it was kind of dark when he first saw my blood fresh from my body. Maybe he thought it was just the shadows. Wouldn't that be ironic.

"Yeah..." I said slowly, but Robotnik had to get his two cents in.

"Your blood is black?" His eyes were wide, "But I remember it being red!" I turned away and shrugged.

"Shortly after using the chaos emeralds to turn Super for the first time in order to beat your Death Egg, my blood began to turn black." I explained, "It's...kind of funny actually; my fur turns gold and my blood turns black." Nobody was laughing at this new information though, and Robotnik had a theory that was quite frightening.

"Hey, Sonic?" I turned, "When you turn Super, I know that your mind becomes happy and pure." He said softly, "So my question is..where do you put your darkness?" My eyes widened, the idea of where it went terrifying to think of.

In this world, dark and light took on a physical form; Chaos and Order. These were the gods that resided in the Master Emerald, a huge emerald that controls all of time and all the Chaos Emeralds. It's a powerful gem that I've found good fortune with in the past.

I turned to face the hall and shrugged it off, pretending not to care, "So you're saying my blood is where my darkness went?" I chuckled, "Interesting." Suddenly, I stopped, a memory of the conversation before suddenly hitting me, "Robotnik..." The robots became confused and started tugging on my arms.

"Yes, Sonic?" He seemed completely confused, the sudden stop intriguing to say the least. What can I say? I think quickly...and a bit spastic-ally...but who could blame me?

"How did you know about my sister's spines?" He had talked about Shadow being the edgy middle of me and Kuro from his quills and demeanor. Unless he had seen a picture of my sister's quills, or seen her herself, he couldn't know about her gravity defying spines…

I turned to look at him, and in his beautiful eyes, I saw a fear that I could not understand. Everyone looked at him.

"What do you mean?" He asked, a shrug coming on, but I stopped it.

"You mentioned earlier that Shadow was the edgy medium between me and Kuro because of his quills and demeanor. But the only way you could know that is if you saw a picture of her, or seen her yourself." My eyes watched him with a soft hurt, "If you think hiding my sister from me is gonna build trust, then you are sadly mistaken." He held up his hands innocently, then sighed.

"Yes, I saw your sister." My eyes lit up, but his darkened, "Sonic..." His voice was so sad all a sudden.

"What? If you saw her, then that means she's okay..." I walked over to him with no one stopping me as they watched. He placed a hand on my shoulder.

He sighed again, his mind visibly telling him not to say, but I was stubborn. He finally succumbed and told me, "How old do you think she is Sonic?"

"Fifteen..like me?" My words were a question, and the answers a poison.

"She looks ten...and not only that..." My eyes widened as he continued, "Sonic, he's done horrible things to her..." My ears went down at this and my eyes saw anger.

"What did he do?" I knew he had done things to her, I was there, but much like with me, they shouldn't have been visible. The fact that her growth stopped at ten was disconcerting, but if there was more...

"He..." He was choking on these words as though he were afraid I'd hurt him for saying them, "She's lost her color completely...one side of her is black and the other side is white...the black side's eye is a mash of the chaos emerald's colors, and the other eye is red..." I fell to my knees, the news hitting me like a brick, "But the worst part is that she doesn't really remember anything. I talked to her right before I was captured...and she claimed that she didn't know you..." I heard Knuckles and Tails gasp in recognition.

"You mean...Ko was Sonic's sister?" Knuckles exclaimed, I looked at him.

"Ko?" My voice was broken again, the idea of what he did to her too horrid to hear.

"Yeah.." Tails chimed in, "Knuckles brought her to my workshop right before we were captured. Knuckles told me that she had super-speed like you, and that her smirk was the same..." He rubbed the side of his head, "I don't remember much after that.."

I chuckled softly, "I wonder..." My eyes felt dead as I looked at Knuckles, "So she didn't remember me at all?"

Knuckles held up his hands, a look in his eyes that told me otherwise, "No, she remembered you...but only a little bit. When I told her your description, she gripped her head, screamed, then passed out. After that, I carried her to an old castle I sometimes see you in...She was very malnourished, and so I made her some soup." I rubbed my eyes, all this new information overwhelming to hear, "She has a chaos emerald with her...the purple one I think."

I shot up, "A chaos emerald?" I cocked my head, "I thought she hated those." I had said this out loud and everyone stared at me. I covered my mouth and internally beat myself up for such a spill.

"What do you mean, Sonic?" Espio asked, the first black bunny right beside him. She was holding his hands behind his back in a very uncomfortable form.

"...I..um..." I was looking for a way out of this question, but everyone was continuing to stare at me. I crossed my arms, "All right, Eggman's base wasn't the first time I transformed into Super Sonic. It was here." Nobody seemed shocked by this, but what came next was truly electrifying, "Me and Kuro were taken to a room where the seven chaos emeralds were all set up in the ceiling, and cables, in the shape of one of our bodies, were set to drift over a bottomless void. He..." I closed my eyes, the memory painful, "He sent all of their energy into me...and I transformed..." I hung my head, my arms falling to rest by my sides, "Let's just say that I can still hear her cries...and she vowed to never touch them..." I chuckled sadly, "I promised too, but...well...I haven't had a choice in the past."

I heard gasps as a heavy hand fell on my shoulder. I figured it was Robotnik, as he was the one I remembered to be behind me, but I was dead wrong. His deathly voice sent chills through my spine, "Maurice, how glad I am to see you." I spun around but he was waiting. He used my own inertia to lift me up into his arms and hold me there, "You have a swimming lesson scheduled, and you're late." He chortled mockingly, "For the fastest thing alive, that's not a very good track record." I began to fight him and try to break free, but he wasn't even phased as he walked peacefully down the hall holding me with one hand and petting me with the other.

Another fight broke out behind as Shadow and the others tried to fight back against their captors, but they were soon under control again as Shadow, Robotnik, Espio, Amy, Burakku, Omega and Knuckles were all subdued. Even Tails tried to do something, but just he ended up riding on the back of Bani, handcuffed to him.

I began to fight harder, but he just grabbed one of my quills, "Don't be foolish, child. I would hate to have to damage such amazing specimens." I doubted he was talking about my quills. I growled, but stopped fighting, and he continued petting, the offending hand making my quills shiver with their evil, "Now isn't that better? There's no need to fight me, Maurice...it only hurts you and your friends." I gripped onto his cloak, my black blood boiling with a vengeful anger.

"Tell me, Maurice..." His static voice filled my ears once more as he petted behind my ears, "Why are you so resilient to the darkness?" It took all I had to growl instead of purr. The one spot that I hate anyone scratching is behind my ears, because it's hard to resist it. It feels so good, and Amy has used it to her advantage more times than I can count...at least, ever since she found out about it. When she gets mad at me and manages to catch me, well, she scratches behind my ears and then hits me with her hammer...It hurts...a lot. Robotnik also knows about it, as that's the stunt he pulled back in the room when he was telling our past history. I didn't expect The Good Doctor to know, but to my disgust, he does.

I felt choked as I answered, trying my hardest to continue growling, "What..do you-mean?" I felt him smile, the frozen act chilling me to the bone.

"My son described your sister quite well." He continued, his eyes bored and cruel, "After a certain experiment with the chaos emeralds, she turned black, and her eyes disappeared. She almost destroyed the place. When she got ahold of herself, she turned black and white. My guess was that her darkness got the better of her." I heard collective gasps and "oh god"'s from behind, and my anger spiked. The growling became real, and my quills were hard pressed to stay flattened. But he didn't care, and continued, "But you, child...you turned gold afterwards with red eyes, and returned to the blue you now are...why is that?" His voice was monotonous, the tone never shifting, and the robotic static lulling as it enveloped you into a soft, eternal sleep.

"You're asking me?" Anger filled my voice and he chuckled lightly.

"It seems not even you have the answer..." He stared into my soul, his eyes haunting as I saw the gears turning in his poisoned mind, "It may have something to do with your ethereal breeding.." My eyes widened and his smiled, "Did she not tell you?" I shut my eyes. There was too much information all coming at once.

"She told me everything." I growled in response, trying to get out of his arms. To my surprise, and my pain, he dropped me, but then grabbed ahold of my hand and pulled me along. Ethereal breeding? What was that supposed to mean? Was I like Shadow? Is that what he meant? I looked at my gloved hands in deep thought of it. No...my father was a selfish hedgehog that saw the world through bills...The hedgehog that condemned us from birth...not some alien from space.

I grunted softly. I used to wish that. I used to dream that instead of being doomed to live like my father in that forsaken castle that some alien would take me away and I would be free. I used to dream that my sister and I would play together in the garden without his "lessons" getting in the way...But instead, she played alone, isolated from the world by huge walls of stone, and I was locked away in his study, forced to research and know all the ways to get and hold money. He had gotten his wealth from no honorable ways, and was teaching me how to cheat and steal from his competitors. I never knew what his business was..all I knew was that he locked my sister in the garden with the traitorous butler, my mother in her room, and me in his study.

My teeth grinded beneath these thoughts, but stopped as soon as I felt myself in the air. For a second, I was flying, but the world revolved, and suddenly I was surrounded by weightless blue.

I gasped as the water surrounded my body, the realization of what just happened hitting me in the face as I watched with bated breath, my friends being led into the room in handcuffs or arm-locks. The Good Doctor had literally thrown me into the water, and I was falling beneath the surface.

I sputtered, the fear of this blue death freezing my legs and slowing my mind. I couldn't think or act, I was just sinking.

"Stubborn creature." The Good Doctor muttered in neutral annoyance, "Swim to the side and you'll stop sinking." His soulless eyes watched me sputter and cry out without any mercy, "Pathetic." I sunk below the surface, holding my breath.

I could just barely hear my friends screaming my name through the barrier as the cold, artificial light shone through onto my pale face. So cold…

Was this my fate? I had had it all outside; the sun, the grass, the flowers...why was I back here? What did I do wrong? I have saved this world countless times despite what this world has done to me...was that wrong?

I hit the bottom, my body bouncing uselessly on the tile before falling to rest there. I could hold my breath for a while, and I knew it. He did too which is probably why he wasn't sending anyone to rescue me.

My eyes blinked, the light beginning to fade from them. Even if I swam to the surface, I would only be put through a possibly horrific test. So what was the point? I didn't know how to get out of this now. The exit I had used before was no longer an option, and he has all of my friends in here with me. Even if _I_ could find a way out, there was no way that I would leave them. That's for sure.

I continued to stare blankly at the bright barrier of water. His shadow leaned over it, watching me. He just...watches. I could feel his annoyance, even from down here, but I didn't care. What I did care about was this feeling that he was smiling.

That's when I realized that my friends' voices were no longer calling out my name...I tried to decipher what they were saying, but it was too late. Someone else was thrown in with me, their dark silhouette falling to the bottom right beside mine.

I struggled to turn around hoping that he didn't throw one of my friends in here, but I was horrified when I saw Amy sitting there at the bottom. She was wearing a red bathing suit, and her arms and legs were chained. She saw me, and her face lit up. I was scared witless, but for some reason, seeing her belief in me calmed me a little.

I smiled apologetically, and she mimicked a giggle. She then mouthed the words, "Could you help me up?" I nodded, and gripped her around the waist before swimming up.

Yes, I can swim; fairly powerfully in fact, but my fear of water keeps this fact from surfacing. My limbs freeze up, and I can't move. But seeing Amy have so much faith in me helped my limbs to release, and now, we swam at a good speed to shore.

We burst above the surface sputtering and choking...at least, I was. She was actually okay, and crawled out of the water with ease. I however remained right where I was; holding onto the edge and breathing hard. I had been under there for-

"Eight minutes," I heard his voice as his fingers pressed the button on what I could only assume was a stopwatch, "A new record." He chortled, "But you probably would have stayed under there for longer had I had not thrown your crush in." I choked on those words, my cheeks turning beet red. Amy stared at him, then at me, but said nothing as she too began to blush.

When it comes to Amy...yeah I like her, but at the same time, I'm afraid of her. She hunts me down and chases me when I run, and when she gets mad at me, she chases me around with her hammer. She is a definite force to be reckoned with and in some ways, that only makes me like her more. But I just...I don't want to date yet. If I were to date, I would have to settle down and stay in one place with her...and I-I just can't do that. It wouldn't be fair to Amy, and it wouldn't, in all honesty, be fair to me. I...I just… no… Besides, if I were to date, I'd want it to be forever. I would want it to be a serious, real relationship, and not a "well, it was a nice show, but I gotta go" kind of deal like so many relationships are.

Did I really just say this into a microphone for a bunch of people to hear? Wow,*Face-palm*, I'm an idiot...back to the story.

"It then took you three seconds to get her to the surface," He laughed humorlessly, the robots joining in, "Maybe I should leave you two in a room together. That would be fun to watch." I fell back below the surface, my face completely red.

I wasn't expecting what happened next, "Hey, you!" I heard Amy yell, her voice powerful and angry as her face glowed red, "Leave him alone! He was just trying to save me!" I turned to look at The Good Doctor...his eyes were shining as she continued, "He would have done it in that time for anyone here!" She waved to the stunned audience, "So lay off He did nothing to you, and yet you've bullied him, from what I hear, drowned him, and so many other things!" My eyes widened as a gigantic, pink hammer materialized in her hands. Her vicious eyes bored into him, as she placed it on her shoulder while she continued, "Yeah, he may have escaped from you to begin with, but considering the welcome he's gotten so far, and the recount of some of his less recent memories, he had a reason!" She screamed this at him, but his unseen smile crawled down my spine as she rushed him.

See, there is a reason why I have not done what she's doing. It's because of what happened the first time I did it. Let's just say...as soon as I got within a couple feet, he grabbed me by the neck and slammed me into the ground so hard that it broke quite a few of my quills. He then spent the day pulling those quills out, lecturing me on how do so properly. I went back to my sister with bandages all over my head.

This is also the reason why I stopped her before she even got within ten feet. I couldn't bare to see her or anyone else hurt, no matter the reason. I pulled myself out of the water and held her back with a hug. I appreciated what she tried to do for me, and I wanted her to know that, but I wasn't about to let her be scarred by this devil. She didn't deserve it.

As soon as she realized it was me, her hammer vanished. Silent tears fell down her cheeks as her hurt voice graced my ears, "Why? Why are you protecting him?" She didn't understand, but he did, and his soft chuckle answered.

"He's not, darling." His eyes locked onto mine, "He's protecting you." She growled.

"From what? You're nothing but a cruel old man! I could take you on any day!" Her voice bit into the air, the savage intent searing my heart with pain.

"My dear, why do you think he hasn't rushed me?" Her eyes began to widen, the tears flowing faster and faster, "He isn't bound, and the sedatives have worn off. He could have attacked at any moment, and yet, I am able to pick him up without a scratch." As though to prove a point, he wondered over, his cloak dragging across the cold, white ground as his footsteps made no sound. I let her go and she looked at me with shock as he picked me up and began to pet me. My eyes watched the ground as this truth bore into my soul, "He's afraid of me, child," Her tears were ceaseless, "Because he knows what I'm capable of." Her hands covered her mouth as her eyes locked with mine. She had never seen me so obedient, and had grown used to the heroic, rebellious teenager that I was.

I began to growl, the sight of her tears and his disgusting touch filling me with a darkness I never wished to show, "Put me down." I whispered with an air of danger. She backed away, and he looked at me.

"Now, Maurice, we wouldn't want a repeat of yesterday, would we?" My spirit was burning, the pain of yesterday fading away with this new flame.

"I could care less." My eyes were darkened and stared at the floor. He noticed this and chuckled cruelly.

"Your spirit is almost as unbreakable as your attitude." His smile once again crawled up my spine, "Almost."

Before I could even blink, I was in the floor. The world was deaf, and a ringing filled my ears. Out of my peripheral vision, I could see the fragments of the floor he slammed me into, and straight in front of me, I saw Amy, on her knees, crying. Guilt filled my heart, and my spirit faded. I laid there, motionless as he picked me back up. But I could feel nothing, and the sound of this world was slow in coming back. What I did hear was my name, screamed for the thousandth time by the friends that deserved so much better than what they were getting.

I was a rag doll as he brought me and everyone else out of that room. The hallways were faint and familiar as the lights looped on the ceiling about my head. I could only stare.

When the world's sound returned and the ringing stopped, there was nothing to hear accept the sound of ordered shoes all marching in unison. When feeling returned, there was nothing to feel besides his cold, desperate hand falling on my battered head and scratching behind my ears. I didn't growl this time, and allowed myself to purr. There was no need to fight a truly unbeatable force. I have face demons and evil gods in the past, but he...he outshone them all in his terrible and unspeakable cruelty. Nobody could compare to the one that tamed the untamable.

Finally, we entered a room with painted, black walls and a little stage at the back. Rows of theater chairs were aligned, and he took us down the center to sit in the front. Well, that's what he did for everyone else at least. He placed me on the stage where I sat motionless, and he had Metal Sonic and Omega go up as well. I didn't mention this before, but there were instruments onstage. There was a base, a piano, a drum set, microphones, and a rock guitar onstage. Metal took the piano, and Omega took the Drums. The Good Doctor pointed silently to the rock guitar and microphone for me, and I, unable to refuse at this point, grabbed them without hesitation.

I stared at the Base for a few seconds before he had Shadow go up there and take it, but he didn't take the microphone.

"This is your second, and final test for today, Maurice." He said, his hands tapping the arms of his chair calmly as he leaned on his other arm as though bored, "I've found that you're quite good with the guitar, and I would love to hear just how good your voice is with it. Now, I want you to sing truly, and I want a song that describes how you feel right now. Is that clear?" I stared at him blankly, and nodded, "Good."

I stared at the audience before I started, and from all the depressed faces, there was one that stood out. Robotnik's eyes betrayed his now completely shattered heart. But, despite this, his eyes held a hope for me, and the memories of what he had done to me filled my mind. My heart was desperate to forgive him, but these painful memories kept me from doing so.

As they filled my breaking heart, my walls began to crumble, and the notes to the song I wanted to sing filled my broken crown. My hands seemed to move on their own as they played perfectly. The robots, realizing the song I was about to sing, down-loaded the music for their instruments, and gave Shadow his notes.

They all joined in and I began to sing:

"I try to face the fight within,

But it's over,

I'm ready for the riot to begin,

And surrender," Everyone gasped at my voice, Amy blushing with the realization that I could not only play the rock guitar, but I could actually sing too. Robotnik had taught me how, just as he had taught me how to play the guitar.

"I walked the path that led me to the end,

Remember,

I'm caught beneath with nothing left to give,

Forever," The music kicked up as we entered the chorus, the wave of music hitting them with tears as they all listened to the lyrics. Even with the small amount of my past they knew, they could understand why I chose this song.

"When angels fall with broken wings,

I can't give up,

I can't give in," I stared into our captor's mismatched eyes, his amused red to my spirited green.

"When all is lost and daylight ends,

I'll carry you,

And we will live forever,

Forever..." The passion in my eyes and the flame in my voice seemed to fire up the band, and the captives below me as they got into it. Their tears meant nothing to them as they smiled with my newfound rebellion.

"Grey skies will chase the light away,

No longer,

I fought the fight,

Now only dark remains,

Forever,

Divided I will stand,

And I will let this end!" Though the music had dipped down for this verse, it rose once again as the chorus made it's booming entrance,

"When angels fall with broken wings,

I can't give up,

I can't give in,

When all it lost and daylight ends,

I'll carry you,

And we will live forever,

Forever..." Memories of my sister filled my mind, my heart singing this part for me as the rock guitar strummed its tune for all to hear.

"The sun begins to rise,

And wash away the sky,

The turning of the tide,

Don't leave it all behind,

And I will never say goodbye.." The music dipped below the margin as I strummed softly now, the chorus bringing me back to the memories of Robotnik.

"When angels fall with broken wings,

I can't give up,

I can't give in.." Another blast of sound as the music went back up.

"When all is lost and daylight ends,

I'll carry you,

And we will live forever,

Forever,

Forever,

Forever!" The music died after that, the song done, and with a moment of silence, the audience began to clap and cheer. The coldness my heart had been feeling before vanished, and I smiled. To see them happy, that was what made me happy. It didn't matter what you did to me...to see my friends smile, that was my antidote to the poison The Good Doctor made me drink, while seeing their tears was my downfall.

The Good Doctor clapped slowly and deliberately, "Good, strong vocals. I would expect nothing less from a guy who can hold his breath for eight minutes." Bani and Okami snickered at this, but The Good Doctor continued, "Shadow, dear boy, switch out with Ivo. Maurice was eyeing him the most during that particular song, and I would love to see them sing together." He chuckled mercilessly, "My two, darling boys." Though normally a nice thing a mother would say, this mad man saying it with the monotone, static-filled voice made it horrifying to hear.

Shadow growled in defiance, but obeyed, and Robotnik, with almost an eagerness took his place by my side. He grabbed the microphone and looked at me. I sighed, unsure of how to take this. I wanted to forgive him, but at the same time, now that he was here next to me, I also didn't want to. He has done so much to hurt me and others. Even if he never really did (besides with me), and he did it for a good cause, that still doesn't make me feel better somehow. In some ways, that just makes me feel worse.

I hung my head, uncertainty filling my shoes as they moved nervously about the microphone stand. The Good Doctor noticed.

"Brothers though you are, you can't bring yourself to forgive him, can you Maurice?" His smile graced my mind once more, "I know the feeling." I glared at him, but ignored him at the same time as I began to sing. Robotnik caught on, and before long, the band was ready.

Me and Robotnik had heard this song many times. We even started singing it during a battle before….or humming it, I should say. It had come on, and so we just...yeah. So we both already knew our parts, and it meant quite a bit to us. However, it was a song that the others had never heard us sing before.

"Stay alive,

Heaven holds a place for us tonight,

I am paralyzed," I started, an uneasy breath adding to the tension as I finished the verse, and he continued.

"Close your eyes,

Drive away the cloud that hides the light,

and leave the pain behind," Even before, it was like an argument to a child that had never truly understood pain or the reason why it hurt so much. He had always sung this part, and now, I knew why.

"Dead alive,

Find a way to bury all the lies,

Escape the pain inside," The music began to build as he joined in,

"Cause I don't want to fall,

Or let you go." We sang in parts for the chorus, every line we switched, and I was first.

"Love left me hollow,"

"I'm with you in the end," He sang sadly, But I continued with my ferocity,

"Cold, crippled, and shallow..." I sang, my head hanging with the words,

"Don't leave me here again…" A hard lesson learned, a rivalry that transcended time almost unbreakable. But through this song, and all the memories of him, I could feel those walls breaking, and my heart bleeding with the bitterness. The memories, though at first dark and fearful, were now fading into the light as I finally began to forgive him. His apologies and warm smiles were shining through this black void I had created around myself in an attempt to pretend he wasn't there.

He started this verse this time:

"Fruit of life,

I can hear the voices of the hive,

Chemicals collide," He sang with the passion I had sung with before, and his fire made mine burn brighter as we both stared directly at The Good Doctor.

"Loaded smile,

Light the way for those you left behind,

Set the earth on fire," We aimed the next line at him as we sung together,

"Cause you don't want enough,

You want it all!" The music blasted everyone again as Robotnik started the chorus this time;

"Love left me hollow,"

"I'm with you in the end," My voice rang true knowing that even if he betrayed me again, my heart would still be with him. He was my big brother after all.

"Cold, crippled, and shallow,"

"Don't leave me here again," He continued, his amazing voice soaring high above the stands, not in pitch, but in beauty and passion with this next part,

"I can't go on,

You are bound to break me in!" He stopped and I continued,

"I come undone,

Don't you drag me down again!" Now, I had a guitar solo, and I made sure to make it a good one, my voice growling as I sung this one line before the final chorus;

"I come undone!" We came together to sing this last chorus, and somehow, it was better than singing apart.

"Love left me hollow,

I'm with you in the end,

Cold, crippled, and shallow,

Don't leave me here again,

I can't go on,

You are bound to break me in,

I come undone,

Don't you drag me down again!" We ended staring at each other, a look of recognition in our eyes as my heart's barriers toward him crumbled down. For the first time in years, I could see my brother. Not only that, but I could hear him, and touch him. He was real to me again. The apologies back in the room meant nothing anymore as my heart freely forgave the pain he had caused so many years before. Green eyes to green eyes, we waited. We weren't sure what we were waiting for, but we knew that we had to wait.

Silence filled the room after the thunderous applause. But I didn't even notice until The Good Doctor's voice filled my ears once again.

"You two did well." He said calmly as he got up, "But I'm afraid it's time to go to your room." I didn't even care as he lifted me up again and began to pet behind my ears. My heart felt...happy. The poison that had always accompanied the memories of Robotnik was gone, and what replaced it was a warmth I hadn't felt in a very, very long time.

The first time I had ever felt this feeling was when my sister was singing me to sleep. I had had a nightmare, and was crying and shaking in my bed. She had jumped out of hers, and curled up beside me. She laid there hugging me, assuring me with her song. My heart had glowed that night, and I had held that light as my shield throughout the years. That one, stubborn glimmer of hope, though torn and worn with repeated use, is still here. It's been holding me together while fate has been trying to tear me apart.

She had been the older sibling growing up despite the fact that we were twins. She had always been there for me...Only now did I realize, that I hadn't fully been there for her. I escaped and lived with an amazing man who did what he could to make me happy. She was left here with a mad man that took everything from her. He took her light, her color, and finally, her memories.

For the first time since finding out about her amnesia, I thought of how she could be at peace now. Maybe not knowing who I was, or knowing anything about this place was better for her. Maybe, I deserved to be forgotten.

The door closed on us, a warning of tomorrow's experiment hanging in the air. I mouthed the words, my thoughts jerking from her to the horrifying truth of what was about to happen, "We will be experimenting with the Chaos Emeralds again tomorrow, Maurice, however, the Master Emerald will be joining us this time." I stared blankly at my friends, and they stared back.

"What does he mean by that?" Knuckles asked, his fists clenched, "What does he mean by "The Master Emerald will be joining us"?" I shook my head, the answer not one I wanted to say. Robotnik's eyes were wide, and his mouth was clenched shut.

One wish played on my heart, "Robotnik...Kuro isn't trying to find you...right?" He refused to answer, and I fell to my knees, "You didn't...give her a way to find you...right?" He hung his head, the gravity of what he had done hitting him like a brick.

"I did."


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11:

 _A life of neglect and loneliness was one I lived within this large, maze-like garden. My tiny, blue hands played blankly with the black petals of the rose, its thorns unacknowledged as I sat alone on the old swing tied to the older oak tree._

 _I wore a dress of silken blood trimmed with the coldest gold, and little sneakers of matching origins squeezed my feet as they floated at least a foot above the grass below me. My emerald eyes were dull, and my thoughts were constrained and caged._

 _Here, I waited for my brother knowing that in the end, he wouldn't come. Father would make sure of that. He always kept him locked up in there, and left me here with our butler._

 _Speaking of the black rabbit, he stood beside the carved fountain with a book in his hands. He just stood there, reading, not even caring that his ward was as depressed as death. But, I held no hope for his play...he never played with me, and every time I tried to talk to him, he would get upset and tell me to go play on my own. So, I just sat here, day after day, my heart darkening with the black flowers around me._

 _Sullenly, I looked to the highest window of the castle where my brother was caged. My father always had to have the best money could buy, so he bought his beautiful, sapphire wife, he bought a castle, and he filled it with bought objects that meant nothing. He never even really saw any of the things that he bought, not his wife, or his stuff, but he just had it there to impress everyone around him.._

 _The one thing that he couldn't buy..was us. We came suddenly into his life, and looking and acting nothing like him, he shunned us, neglected us, and locked Mother up in her room._

 _My eyes fell to the window just below the first, and there I saw her. Her emerald eyes watched me sadly, her message painted silently on my heart, "You both deserve so much better...". But noticing my gaze, she hung her head and went deeper into the room so that I couldn't see. I knew she was crying though. She did it every day, and only when we were in her arms, would she stop. Every evening she would hold us close and bless us. Then she would put us in our conjoined crib, and rock us to sleep with her soft, loving lullaby._

 _I loved her, and I loved my brother. Every time I was able to be with him, I too would hold him close. Even when we were sleeping, he was always in my arms. I don't want him to leave, and I'm afraid that if I let him go...that's exactly what will happen._

 _A longing sigh filled the air as I crawled down from the still swing, and walked slowly over to the fountain. The butler looked at me for a moment, but just continued reading as though he didn't. I didn't even bother with him as I looked at my sad reflection and ran my hands in the soothing water._

 _My brother and I always joked about how I was so wild, not even gravity could control me. This was because my quills were always up in the air whereas his were down. No matter what I tried to do to get them to go down, they would just bounce back up again. It was our one and only running joke._

 _Growing bored with the water, I looked to the wooden door that led back into the castle. It looked old and worn with a golden handle, but it wasn't old or worn, and was a good showing of the lies that were told to protect our father's name. Heh..I digress._

 _Every time there was a social gathering for our father that required his family to show, he would have the three of us pretend to be happy, and tell everyone how kind and gentlemanly our father was. Any time I showed any hint of defiance or want to tell the truth, I would be left here, alone, in the empty castle with the butler. So I don't say anything, and neither does Maurice._

 _Our father is old and gray, with a few brown patches around. His eyes are dark and cold, and all he cares about is his money and stature. He doesn't care if me, my mother, and my brother rot in this castle. I would bet that he wouldn't care if we were taken away or died. He wouldn't have to deal with Maurice anymore, and he never dealt with me, so I wouldn't make a difference._

 _I was worthless, and the tears I was crying were worthless. The unimportant things fell down my face, ignored by the one who was supposed to care. They fell onto my dress, and into the fountain, forgotten and neglected. Though they fell fast and true, I didn't make a sound, nor did I try to rub them away. There was no point._

 _The sound of the door opening filled my ears, and with a start, I rubbed my eyes and drowned my face. Maurice, in his cute, green suit was standing there, looking at me. His emerald eyes were dull and bored. But when they fell upon me, they lit up, and he smiled._

" _Kuro!" He cried out, running to me, "I was let off early. Do you want to play?" His voice filled my heart with glee, and I held him tight, just as he did me._

" _Yeah!" I said, letting him go and smiling bravely, "Why don't we play hide and seek?" I said happily. Hide and Seek was our favorite game, and he nodded vigorously at it._

 _But something was strange as the butler put down his book, "I'll be the seeker, children." He said with a cold smile. Me and Maurice looked at each other, confusion at his sudden interest sparked. But our naive four year old hearts just nodded, and the game began._

 _He covered his eyes and counted, and with a couple giggles, Maurice took off toward one end, and I the other. I hid behind the hold tree in a bush of black roses._

 _It was a hard place to find, and I had stumped Maurice with it many times, but it was also a sharp place to be. The thorns poked at my arms, and the dirt soiled my dress. But I didn't mind._

 _I closed my eyes and waited. My breath was held, and my ears were opened, but I didn't hear anything. I opened my eyes and sighed. Maybe the butler had decided not to play after all. Maybe, this was an effort to read his book in peace. But just as I was about to come out, I heard his footsteps._

 _I held my breath, waiting, and almost screamed as everything went dark. I was lifted into the air, the feeling below nothing but some type of fabric. Was this part of the game? I didn't remember that this was how you played…_

 _A few minutes passed, and I could feel the ground through the fabric again. But Maurice's scream made me panic as he too was placed in the bag. I felt his fur, and could hear his breath as he held onto me._

" _What's going on?" He was freaking out, and so was I. I embraced him, hoping that he wouldn't hear my racing heart._

" _I don't know..." I said honestly, "Maybe he's just playing with us.." But that idea was knocked out of me when I heard his voice speak to another...deeper voice. But this new voice was filled with static, and just felt cold._

" _Here's your order, Mr." We yelped in pain as we hit a hard surface, "Now, where's my money?" The other man's voice scarred my mind as he spoke._

" _Here it is, sir. One-thousand mobiums, as promised." This new voice was calm, and though he said sir, it sounded like he was the one in charge. I could hear the butler cower beneath him as he ran with his money._

 _We were in the air again as this new man picked us up, and carried us away. We were screaming and crying until he spoke to us, "My dearest children, don't be afraid. I will not harm you." We weren't reassured, but we stopped our crying and just held each other tight…_

I awoke in a garden, the golden flowers around me glowing in the morning sunlight. I had been running all night, and my only guess was that I collapsed from exhaustion. I sat up and rubbed my eyes, the wild trees that surrounded this little haven watching me with a quiet fascination.

I could feel Mura's warmth in my quills, and just to gaze upon her, I took her out and led her in my lap. She was beautiful and her light was kind. But there was some sort of sadness hidden within.

"What's wrong, Mura?" I whispered. Though we were alone, I couldn't help but want to be quiet. The wind blew secrets of lost murmurs and shadows that have been watching me...I didn't want them to know our plans.

 _ **What do you remember?**_ She asked. This confused me. I had been having nightmares of the past now for a while after allowing them to surface. The one with me and Maurice in the garden was both new, and familiar as it brought back yet more memories. Yes, I now remember all of it...up till that point. What's beyond is still fuzzy, but I'm sure it'll all be back before the end of the day.

I had been holding it all back before in fear of it, but now, I needed it. Everyone needed me to remember and to find this place...my brother needs it. The only thing is...the memories I do remember now are nothing but sorrowful. This is what I was afraid of, and judging by the nightmares I had before the start of this wild ride, it doesn't get better.

A silent tear fell down my white cheek, the pain of the past hard to bear, "I was betrayed once before by a butler I used to have...my father was a jerk who neglected us..and my mother always cried for us in her bedroom..." I held her tighter, her power the only thing keeping these memories from breaking my young heart and mind, "Nothing else yet.."

A relief spread across the surface of the crystal, and my naive heart twirled with confusion, _**Don't worry, darling, the rest will come in time.**_ She said reassuringly, but that only darkened my heart a little more. I didn't want to remember anymore...it hurt...but I had to...or did I?

My eyes left her smooth surface and looked to the sky. They were glassy and filled with thought as I thought about what this blindness had done for me. Judging by the memories I knew so far, my past was horrible and cruel...but in not knowing that, I got to see Mobians smile with me. I got to meet new people, and I got to be free for who knows how long. Sure, I had nightmares and breakdowns, but all in all, it was such bliss to be ignorant.

My head fell, shaking violently as it did. What was I thinking? Maurice, the only one I've ever really cared about is in trouble! Not only that, but he's being held in that facility that has cause me so many nightmares along with the Dr., Knuckles, Burakku, and Tails. If I decide to forget now...then they will all die...or worse, be turned into a creature like me.

A broken smile broke across my face, the remembrance of his warmth filling my heart. I just want to talk to him. I want to hug him, and know that he's there. Tears poured down my face, the reality of this world hitting me hard.

"Hey, Mura...when we get out of this..." I couldn't control it, not even when I was holding her close, "Can you, me, and Maurice watch the dawn together?" I could feel her smile.

 _ **Yes, child. It's a promise.**_ I smiled, the idea of peace after all this a nice thing to hear. It stilled the roaring darkness of my heart, and I wiped the tears away with my right arm.

I placed her back in my quills safely, then stood up. My legs wobbled a bit, but her power kept me from falling. I would have to find food soon, and thankfully, there was a town just a few miles away just off of the path to my brother and friends. I could stop there and restore my energy before I continue.

I started running, the colors of the land melting into shadows and abstract paintings...and memories. Daydreaming while I run isn't uncommon. In fact, it's very common, so it's no wonder why I drifted away into my memories once again as I ran as sparingly of my energy, as possible to this town.

" _Come on, Maurice, Kuro." Okami was rushing us, "We're already late." Bani was right beside him in front of us as we walked down the endless, blank corridors._

 _Maurice was clasped to my arm, his body shaking with fear at what was about to happen next. I was too, but I tried not to show it...i was probably failing miserably though._

 _The man had told us to call him The Good Doctor, and that he was our saving grace. He told us that our parents had abandoned us, and didn't love us anymore. In truth, I believed him. I mean, our mother probably still loves us...but I know our father wouldn't care for our absence...the butler...well, he was the one who sold us. However, The Good Doctor is no saving grace. He has used us to be in twisted and cruel experiments involving crystals of immense power being forcefully electrocuted into my brother. He has drowned us while making the other watch after we've disobeyed. He has forced us to fight innocent robots that were just created..and he didn't need anymore. He makes us run in high-powered wheels that burn our feet and legs when we run...If anything, he was the devil._

 _I would have preferred to turn to stone on that swing instead of watching my brother come in from an experiment, charred, crying, and barely conscious. I would've preferred to waste away and fade like those black roses than to watch my brother's terrified eyes as he screamed and cried as he was drowned. I would've preferred to vanish forever in that blessed fountain than to watch as my bother's faded emerald eyes locked with mine as his soul vanished from killing an innocent creature._

 _These scars won't fade...not for all eternity._

 _I stopped, my face falling to the floor. I knew a vent to the outside was just behind us as I had seen it many times after coming from the testing room back there._

 _I took his hand, and held it tight. **They** would come after us, and I knew this, but if I could get **him** out of here, then it would be worth it...even if I was to be left behind. _

_I took off, Okami and Bani's cries of shock following as I dashed as fast as I could under the heavy sedatives to the grate. His hand was held tightly in mine, and he dashed beside me. Though Maurice was a brighter and sweeter child than I, he was by no means a push over. I knew that even if I wasn't there, that he would make a difference...who knows...maybe someday, I would be able to see him again as the hero I know he is._

 _I opened the metal bars enough for him to climb through and pushed him in. He began to climb up, his eyes betraying his shock and worry._

" _Hey, Come back here!" Okami's voice rang true only a few meters behind us._

 _His eyes widened as I began to close it so that they couldn't follow, "What are you doing?" Tears began to pour as they caught up and grabbed me. I began to fight my hardest._

" _Run, Sonic!" I told him, the nickname seeming to jar him back to reality, "I'll be okay." He stared for a couple seconds, his mind not seeming to register, and dashed up to the surface._

" _You know that was your only chance...right?" Bani whispered, the realization of what I had done making them both hang their heads with shame._

 _Tears began to fall as I responded, "Yes...and I took it." I couldn't believe it. He was finally free! He was safe! A soft joy at his release filled my heart as I was dragged away to The Good Doctor. I knew that I would be punish severely for this offense, but I didn't care. He was free!_

 _I closed my eyes, the idea of what's to come paralyzing, "Maurice...enjoy the surface for me...please.."_

I won't go into details of what I did at the village...okay, I stole some bread from the stands. But what would you have me do? I still have no money, no connections, and I'm still just a child. What to you expect? Besides, no one saw me, and I have to get to my friends and family. Time is of the essence, and I couldn't wait around for a kind soul to give me a bit of bread….I'm sorry...if there had been another way, I would have taken it..please know that.

 _ **Sorry, guys, Sonic's staring at her right now with a look. Knock it off, Sonic! Let her finish.**_

Back to the story.

I ran a bit longer to the edge of a forest where a little brook ran right beside to sit down and eat. The water's melody was calming, and it too sang of old legends that I could not understand.

Quietly, I ate, the fresh bread melting in my mouth as I thought of the past. Though many things were bothering me at the moment, one of those things shone through. It was my promise to never touch a Chaos Emerald, and my hatred of them. In the past, all I had known of them was pain, and that they were **his** gems.

But now, I knew better. Mura was nothing like I had originally thought. Thinking back to the conversation we had just moments before, she probably knew about this...and she probably felt bad about it. She probably felt horrible about causing both me and my brother that much pain...but much like me and Maurice, she had no control over what she did. From what I understood of these beautiful gems, they have so much power, but they can only use that power for good if the person using them has good intentions. The Good Doctor was not one of those people.

I can't blame her for what happened, just as she can't blame me for hating her before. It was a complete misunderstanding, and I know that now. But it's funny...she's been with me so long, helping me and keeping me smiling that I can't just part with her based on an old hatred. After all she's done for me...it just wouldn't be fair to her. As for the promise I made, I'm pretty sure Maurice has broken it too. So, no guilt here.

With the last of the bread gone, I got up and kept running. I still had a long way to go, and time wasn't going to wait. My memories continued to fill my head, the past far more interesting than the familiar swirling of colors.

" _Where are we going?" I whispered hoarsely to Okami as he held my hand tightly. Bani wasn't here, and we had just passed the usual lab space._

 _Last night I had spent crying in the lap of a shadow calling himself Chaos and though I said this question, I didn't really care about it. I couldn't feel my heart, and my legs were like lead. My blue hue was gone, replaced by black and white. As soon as Okami came in, he strapped rings to my wrists and ankles, and had me put on a golden collar. He had told me that it would help me control my power...but at this point, I had no power left._

 _Maurice was gone, and with him my life. I had nothing to hold onto anymore...if it wasn't for the fact that my body wouldn't let me die, I was sure that I would. At this point, I wouldn't even mind if I did._

 _Tired and lost, Okami dragged me though endless halls. I had asked him a question, but he didn't answer._

 _Okami had become far less happy since Maurice disappeared. I remember when they would chat together and hang out in the room. We all would used to play with anything we could find when it was an off day...but that's all gone now. I guess..I wasn't enough..or maybe he's still mad at me? I wouldn't be surprised._

 _Finally, a room came up at the very end of the hall. It had a big double door that was bigger than even The Good Doctor. My guess was that it was for more than one person...but considering that I had never seen anyone else down here for a while, I wouldn't know who._

 _Heh...I've been alone now for a couple months… The robots come in every once in a while to talk, but I can't feel anything anymore. In and out...in and out...daily routines of screaming and crying. You get bored of it after the first few weeks. Aside from yesterday when I was shocked though with overwhelming power, I haven't been crying or screaming...there hasn't been a point. There's no one to comfort me, no one to really talk to. I'm alone. When Maurice left, he took the light with him…_

 _Staring up at that door, a small, wry smile spread across my lips. There was no fear, no resistance as Okami pulled me in. My only hope was that Maurice was doing better than I. I knew he was alive..we can't die...but I wish him the best._

 _A scream filled the air when I saw who The Good Doctor was standing beside. It wasn't a scream of fear, but a scream of surprise. It looked like Maurice...but it wasn't. His crimson eyes glared softly at me, while his welcoming aura filled the void in my heart._

 _My hands went to my mouth as I fell to my knees, warm tears falling down my face. It was a robot shaped like Maurice with red irises in the middle of black eyes. I didn't know what to feel, be it joy or remorse._

" _Kuro, my child." The Good Doctors sweet voice filled my flickering ears, "You have been so sad at your brother's absence that it has been affecting your test scores. So, to better your mood, I have created for you a robot that should make you feel better." I wasn't even thinking as I ran to him, hugging his leg. I couldn't believe it._

 _I could feel his shock, but even so, he knelt down and petted my head. His hand was nice to feel and as it scratched behind my ears, I purred softly. This was the first real kindness I had been shown since coming here, and I was sure it would be the last. But in this moment, I was happy with it...and I didn't want it to end._

 _I heard the robot's voice in my head. It sounded like Maurice's, though with a robotic spin. He turned to face me, his hand held out in a kind greeting, "Hello, Kuro. My name is Burakku. It's nice to meet you." I smiled, and let go of The Good Doctor's leg to hold his hand._

" _It's nice to meet you, Burakku!" I said with a happy smile on my face. His grip was familiar as it belonged to my brother, and his eyes, though set to a permanent glare, were kind and deep. This was someone I could trust. A sweet remembrance of a brother I had lost so long ago. His smile was true as it filled my mind, and his laughter could be heard as he embraced me in a fond hug._

 _That night, he slept beside me, holding me like the child that I am. I was happy in his grip, and lay there with a warm heart._

 _But there was someone else watching me. His dark aura had filled the room as his comforting hand caressed my ears and head._

 _ **My darling girl, I will be watching you. If you are afraid, just call on me, and I will be there. Never forget this, Kuro.** With this, his hand vanished, and I fell into deep, bright dreams. I never wanted to leave them._

My mind returned when I stopped at an old dock. It wasn't abandoned, as there was an old, graying, blue hedgehog standing there with a boat right behind him, but it did seem to be in total disrepair.

This was when I recognized the old hedgehog as Uncle Chuck, the kind sir that gave me my name, Ko.

I smiled happily and waved, "Hey, Uncle Chuck!" I walked over to him and he bent down to be eye level with me. A smile spread across his face as he recognized me as well, and he patted me on the head.

"Well if it isn't my darling, Ko." His voice was old but glorious. It made me happy to hear, "And what would you be doing here this fine hour, kiddo?" I giggled at the nickname.

"I was wondering if you could give me a ride across?" I asked as sweetly as possible, "See, there's someone over on that island in the distance that I need to see." I smiled as I pointed to the huge island hidden in its own shadow beneath the crimson horizon. It was pretty far out, and I knew I could only get across by boat.

"Oh, that island?" He looked to it, "Now, what friend would a sweet little girl like you have, that would be on that cursed island? Legend has it that G.U.N., a huge security detail, took that island by storm after hearing about horrific experiments going on there." He shivered, "I wouldn't even want to be on that island, and you definitely shouldn't." He then whispered in my ear, almost jokingly, "If I were you, I would get a new friend." He then chuckled at that, and I tried to with him.

Memories were being to gnaw at my head again with the mention of that word, but I held them in. I had to convince him...but how?

"Please sir..." I tried, but he only crossed his arms. I sighed, an idea coming to my head, "Okay...the real truth is that Sonic is waiting for me there. He needs me for a very special rescue mission, and I can't disappoint!" I was only half lying, and Uncle Chuck seemed to buy it as I continued. I got up on my tiptoes and begged him like a child, "Please sir! Sonic is my hero, and I don't want to let him down...he's counting on me."

"He he he, Kiddo. You're a cute actress." He laughed, and my heart sunk, "I know Sonic, and because I know him, I know that he would never let a little kid like you go to a place like that. I hope I taught him better than that." He smiled in a fatherly way, "Besides, my little sonny would be here talking to me himself even if he had." My head sunk. There was no way I could tell him of what was really going on, and there was no way he would let a little child like me go to a place like that..

Was this all for nothing then? I didn't know how to operate a boat..and I didn't know if I could run fast enough, or long enough to get to that island…

I kicked my shoes on the harbor nonchalantly, my eyes reflecting a true disappointment at failing at my given task.

"Then again, Sonic hasn't been here recently, and I know that there's something off with that island..." He chuckled, a knowing look in his eyes as he stared at me, "Say, kiddo..what is your real name?" I perked up and looked into his dull, emerald eyes as I responded.

"My name is, Kuro." I said, the memories flooding back to me. His eyes widened, and with them, so did his smile.

"Kuro, huh?" He chuckled again, "I once knew a Kuro. It was a very long time ago though." His eyes grew distant as they faded into happy memories, "Yes, my sister would invite me to see both her and her brother, Maurice on my birthday. But I doubt they would remember me as it was so long ago, and her husband began to ban me from ever seeing them before they got to the age where they could remember." He sighed, his age coming back to him, "Yes, those were the days. Their smiles could warm the hollows of my aching bones." He hopped mechanically into his boat, oar in hand and motioned me to sit with him, "Why don't you come with me to the island, Kuro?" He smiled, "I would think that you wouldn't want to keep Sonic wait'n." A joyous smile blossomed across my face, the hope of a brighter future filling my heart.

"Thank You!" I cried as I hopped in opposite him, and he started rowing. Spirits were high as we rowed toward the island, with the sun turning the ocean a beautiful golden red, and with the boat rocking softly with each gentle wave. It was calming, so calming in fact that I just lay there looking up at the sky and watching as the stars popped out one by one in the twilit hour.

Memories began to overtake me as I fell into a quiet daze, sleep overtaking me as the boat rocked sweetly within the restful water.

 _Alarms were blaring as Burakku pulled me through the hallways. His voice was panicked and confused as he didn't know where to go, "G.U.N. is here! They will take you if they find you, and trust me, they will be far worse to you than he ever was!" He was saying this hurriedly, and I could barely understand through the blaring high-pitched noise, and his lack of diction._

" _Where are we going?" I was scared. There was nowhere to run, and nowhere to hide. From what I understood, they had cut off all exits, and were searching for The Good Doctor even as we spoke. It had only been a few months since Burakku's birth, and the experiments had gotten less brutal. In fact, The Good Doctor had been showing more affection towards me and Burakku within a few weeks of his awakening…_

 _Suddenly, we stopped. A black shadow revealing himself to be The Good Doctor stood there. My hand went to my mouth when I saw crimson staining one of his gloved hands as he held it to his stomach area. He was hunched over and breathing heavily through the strange mask he wore._

" _Come, Kuro, Burakku..." He said sullenly, "I must...get you two...out of here." His red eye was darkened, while his emerald was shining._

 _He led us down corridor after corridor, finally stopping when he reached a set of two doors, unguarded, and strangely unknown to me. They had rusted handles, and the doors themselves seemed to be rusted with age. The hall we were in was one I had never seen, and seemed almost deteriorated in the red light._

" _Over there!" I heard someone's voice some way down the end of the hall that we came from. The Good Doctor wasted no time, and pulled us through the door._

 _Real air filled my lungs as I ran on the green grass. Salt was in the cool breeze as he took us to the edge of a cliff, the sea down below._

" _Kuro...we don't have much time..." He said quietly, "I am going to throw you off..." My eyes widened in surprise, "I know you can't die..but you may lose your memory..." He chuckled, a gleam of a man lost to time filling his eyes, "If that happens...don't come back." He looked at me full in the face, an ironic smile in his eyes as men I didn't know raced to meet us, "I really am a monster...aren't I?" That was his last sentiment as he pushed me off._

 _Burakku's cry, and the men's screams filled my ears as I fell. The Good Doctor could only stare as another child fell away from his reach...but this time, he seemed relieved…_

 _Through heavy eyes, I saw them apprehend him forcefully though he did not resist. It was here that this chapter closed, and a smile came to my face...goodnight Doctor...goodnight Burakku...see you in another life._


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

I awoke to the sounds of my friend's voices. They were startled and screaming, "Let him go!". It was only when the light of the doorway came into view that I realized..they were talking about me.

My eyes shot open as the memory of The Good Doctor's experiment filled my heart with pure, cold terror, and I began to fight. It wars the two, black bunnies that were taking me, and though their grip was iron, my frightened self easily overpowered them, and I ran back to the bed, breathing hard.

My friends, at seeing this, stopped their cries and watched in fearful silence. Though I had said that I knew nothing about this particular experiment, they now saw that I had been lying.

I pressed myself against the wall, one of the bunnies sighing in her robotic way and walking with annoyance toward me. Her index finger switched itself out with a needle, and with a look of pure terror, I knew that they were going to take me weather I cooperated or not.

Suddenly, Tail's outline filled the dark room in front of me, his breath shaking as tears fell down his cheeks. His arms were spread wide and he stood protectively as he screamed at the rabbits, "Though he may be afraid of you-I'm not!" He risked a glance at me, and my heart fell. His beautiful blues had gone gray with all the pain, and bloodshot with the sleepless nights. He didn't deserve this, none of them did..

But he still continued, "If you want to hurt my Big Brother, you're going to have to get through me!" A long forgotten image filled my head. My sister had done this once before, her voice saying the exact same thing. But…

"That's enough, Tails." A soft, yet dangerous voice filled the air as I spoke. Any joy that had been there before vanished, reality taking its place, "You don't need to get yourself hurt for a selfish jerk like me..." I had stopped shaking, my eyes broken as I jumped down from the bed and stood in front of him, "Go back to sleep...you'll need it, buddy." I felt his head fall on my back, his silent tears now telling in his voice as he truly cried.

"Don't take him!" He was still trying to protect me, "Can't you see...you've done enough already!" He began pounding on my back, and I let him, closing my eyes to hold back my own tears. I knew what this experiment was, but he didn't. All he knew was that I tried to run from it in terror, and that alone broke him into trying to stop it. But no one could...not even her.

She had done the same thing as him, but she was just sedated and pushed out of the way..then she was due for a water punishment the next day. Though I doubted that The Good Doctor would do such a thing to Tails, I wasn't ready to find out what he would do.

I turned with my tired eyes to face him, and he cried into my chest, "It'll be okay Tails...they're just taking me to get some tests done.." I petted his head, trying to calm him down, "I overreacted because of a nightmare I had." I lied as I had not had dreams this night, but it was okay as he began to calm down.

"So you won't be hurt?" He was still sobbing, but it wasn't as bad.

"I won't be hurt." I looked into his bloodshot eyes, "Now I need you to get some sleep, alright?" The innocence of a child was too precious to take away...why did this man have to take it away?

He nodded, and I handed him off to Amy, whispering in her ear, "Take care of him, would you?" She looked at me with tears in her eyes, but nodded all the same.

"I will."

"And...if I start screaming..." I still whispered, "Make sure he doesn't know." Her eyes widened when I finished. But with nothing more to say, I turned away and walked to the waiting bunnies. They had watched the entire thing, and yet, held no feeling toward it. It was just another setback, another pesky, childish banter, and though I wanted to be angry at them, I couldn't. They had been programmed to be that way. It wasn't their fault as much as it was _his_.

Silence filled the room as I was led out, my heart slowly descending back into the darkness it had just come out of. The panic I felt was overpowering, and once we had gotten far enough away from the room, it overflowed. I pulled myself out of their hold and tried to find a way to escape, but they were way ahead of me. Before I even had time to think, the one I had pushed pressed me against the wall. I struggled, but it was too late. He needle had sunken into me.

The effects of the sedative took hold almost immediately, relaxing my muscles forcefully, and numbing my mind to the world. I fell to the ground, unable to even stand with that strong dose. My mind was whirling, my heart breaking as they now dragged my ragged body to hell. I could do nothing to get away anymore.

They had each taken an arm, and were dragging me on my back so that I could watch the lights flicker above me. One...two...three...four. Desperate to hold onto something, my mind counted them as they passed by. One more down until my immanent defeat.

A soft, ironic laughter filled the air. How silly..to think that I would be defeated so easily after all that I've accomplished. I've faced gods, demons, and all manner of things so much more powerful than this cruel man. I didn't even know how it happened. One day I was playing with my friends, free as a bird. The next, I was down here, living my memories and nightmares all over again. It was purgatory down here...was this my punishment for all my sins? Was this my punishment for leaving her here? The laughter turned from ironic to just plain sad. If so, than it was fitting. She lost everything because of me, and now, I guess it was my turn.

I wanted to run, be free again. I wanted to see all my friends smiling and happy. I would even love to see Eggman causing trouble again. I want to go back...nothing he ever did was as bad. I want to go back… I want to see her again...I want to take her with me through that grate. She had been my light, my comfort, and only now did I realize, that though I had had her...she had had nobody. When she had nightmares, there was no one to sing her to sleep. When she had screamed, there was no one to hug. She had been completely alone in this condemned facility. I deserved to be forgotten. She didn't deserve the pain and tears she went through...

But it wasn't just her. It was my friends too. I dragged them down here with me just like I always would. I would always get them into dangerous situations because I knew I could have always just saved them...but who would save us now?

I just wanted this all to end. There was no point in continuing down this cruel, dark road.

I didn't want to be the hero...I just wanted a peaceful life with my sister, and my friends..was that too much to ask? This whole time, I had been holding onto the hope that we would somehow be saved, and this would all go back to the way it was. But deep down, I knew that wouldn't happen...at least, not before I was completely gone.

The laughter returned to the ironic, but it was a sinister and dark sound. Maybe this would finally do me in! The terror turned into a false joy, the lights flickering in and out like a heartbeat. Why be afraid when you can be happy? My heart was racing, my mind numb and lifeless beneath the hold of the sedatives.

Finally, the room came where the lights went out. I still laid on my back, staring at the black ceiling gloomily. All laughter was gone, my mind finished with thinking. I knew where I was. I had been here before. It was a memory that had haunted me my entire life, the one I could never forget.

The mechanical arms I knew were there latched onto mine and pulled me into the center. A giant spider web made from lies and pain. I didn't have the strength to fight it, or to even speak. The fear paralyzed me despite the drugs.

"Are you ready, Maurice?" His voice came through the intercom, monotone and lifeless. I did nothing, said nothing, but he wasn't waiting for my answer, "We only have six emeralds, but luckily, we have a spare." A crane brought down the big, beautiful gem that was the Master Emerald. It was almost six feet tall, and shown emerald even in this overwhelming darkness. Cables hooked up to it right before my eyes, hissing and seething with it's power. Then it sunk below me, completing the circle of gems.

My eyes watched it for as long as it was in front of me, then faded with the darkness.

"Nothing to say?" He asked. I heard scribbles as he wrote down my responses, "Well, no matter. The test will continue despite it." I didn't even blink, there was no reason to.

I waited for the test to begin, but it didn't for a bit. It were as though he were thinking, hesitating. I looked up at the camera watching me, a small hope in my heart that maybe we wouldn't do this after all. But I was wrong.

As soon as I looked at him, I heard scribbles, then the machine whirring. Panic filled my lungs and stopped my breathing. My mind began to race with my heart following after. My eyes were wide as they followed the electricity on the wires, then shut as the pain tried to make them explode.

It was so much worse than what I remembered, the pain restarting my heart every second, and destroying my mind beneath the pressure. The Master Emerald was the reason, and it's overwhelming power was crushing my tiny body with ease.

I screamed, long and true throughout the facility, then everything was gone.

I was alone in a dark void, the shaking, black room shown to me through a pain of clouded glass. I tried to stumble toward it, another terror filling my heart at being here...but it was too late. He was already there.

 _ **Give up, child.**_ He whispered in my ear, his hand over my mouth as I tried to struggle, **_You don't need to fight anymore._**

I still tried to get away, but the shadow held firm, _**Don't be afraid, child. I'll make sure that no one will hurt you anymore.**_ I stopped, my mind bending to meet the darkening dawn.

 _ **That's it, Sonic. Don't fight me anymore.**_ I heard the buckle of the muzzle as he put it on my mouth gently, sealing it to the chains he had placed about my wrists and feet, **_I'll keep you safe from them. He won't bother you anymore._**

He took me by the scruff and dragged my mangled body to the front to watch him work through my own eyes. I could no longer do anything. I couldn't even touch the window, and he knew it.

 _ **You've been so abused, so broken lately...I won't let them do that to you anymore.**_ He was cold, but I knew that he cared. He had visited me before when I was younger...he had hugged me that day, telling me that he would be watching. He's almost taken hold multiple times when things seemed hopeless, but I was always able to regain control...but this time was different. I didn't know if I could regain control anymore...and in truth, I didn't know if I wanted to.

I felt his hand as he petted my head, my glassy eyes watching the screen without emotion or care.

 _ **Goodnight..Sonic.**_


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

I awoke in a field, a drop of dew falling on my nose. Grass tickled my fur and the warm rays of the sun caressed my small figure gently as I sat up. I seemed to be in a small grove of trees, a large metal wall, aged with rust in the salty breeze, was stationed behind me.

Uncle Chuck sat a few feet from me, watching me sleep with memory stained eyes. At seeing me sit up and look at him, he looked at me, "Where's Sonny, Kuro? Is he here?" His voice was quiet and understanding. He wasn't angry or hurt, he was just concerned for both mine, and Maurice's well being.

I nodded, "From what I heard from Dr. Eggman, he and all of his friends were taken here within a short span of time." His eyes widened with this realization.

"All of…." His mouth gaped with the new information, and his eyes, once filled with a peaceful concern, were now filled with terror, "And Eggman….he's a liar, kid. Are you sure he was telling the absolute truth?" He didn't seem to believe himself though, as his eyes betrayed him.

"Actually, he was taken too. He gave me this tracker to find both him and Sonic though." I showed him my wrist, the tracker beeping madly with our whereabouts, "I also saw Mr. Knuckles and Mr. Tails get kidnapped...I tried to save them, but they were gone before I could." Uncle Chuck didn't speak, but instead pulled me into a tight, warm hug.

"I'm so sorry you had to see all that..." He was aghast at the perceived torment I went through, but he didn't know the half of it as he continued, "But you don't have to risk your life needlessly like this. I'll take you back to the mainland, Kuro, and call the authorities. A little pup like you shouldn't be doing things like this on your own." I pulled away from the old hedgehog, a small, sad smile on my face. He brought me here, and there was no way that I was going back.

He got up, hand outstretched as he began to walk back the way we came, "Come on, Buttercup, let's go home." I stood up, but shook my head.

"I can't go with you. Sorry, Uncle Chuck." He stared into my mismatched eyes, fear of what he might have to do filling his, "Don't worry about me, I'll be fine..." I smiled, "I don't want to be too late." His eyes widened at that remark, and the smile I gave him made his hand fall.

"You've been here before..haven't you." There was no question in his kind voice, there was no movement in his limbs, "You were the one I read about in the papers...the one that that devilish man pushed off the cliff...aren't you." I nodded, the remembrance of that day painful to me, "Why would you come back for someone you don't even know?" He was clawing desperately now at anything that could save me, or change my mind even though his voice remained calm, old, and bouncy.

"Because I do know him." I said softly, "We were taken there together many years ago." I chuckled softly, sadly at his wide, understanding eyes, "I should be fifteen with him, blue as the sea...but that was taken from me so long ago." He forced his eyes to shrink, and wet his lips.

"Laura's Twins...Beautiful blue munchkins...What...what happened?" He stared at me, hoping for an answer, but I gave him none. He was already shaking with the realization of who I was, and there was no reason to give him anymore. The poor guy might just have a heart attack.

"Please...leave and call the authorities if you wish. It might save us all in the end." I said sadly, and he nodded, all convincing finished. He knew he wasn't going to get me to go back anymore, so he left, taking the rowboat with him, and rowing as fast as he could to the shore, desperate to tell someone who could do something.

I watched him for a few seconds before turning to the huge structure, taking a deep breath, and finding a way in.

It didn't take me long to find the entrance beside the cliff I had been thrown off of. It was so much more rusted than before, and took all my strength to pry open. But, once open, I had yet another chance to turn back.

The sun turned the sky gold as dawn crept through its loving expanse. The salty breeze toyed with my fur, and bathed my quills in its welcoming life. The grass was soft beneath my feet, and the ocean's powerful waves crashed against the cliff-face.

The door showed nothing but crimson darkness. A bloody hand-print smeared the metal wall inside, dry and painful. It was his hand, the hand of The Good Doctor when he tried to save me from G.U.N.. It hasn't been removed even after all this time.

Footsteps echoed across the empty, rusted halls. Water dripped somewhere, and stains of a similar origin covered the originally white walls; now gray, crimson and back with mold and age.

I don't know how long I wandered through the endless corridors till I got to the point where the age was gone, and the walls were polished white with lights of fragile sapphire blue.

"Guess I've reached the point where lies end." I whispered to myself. Mura kept silent here, be it from fear or awe, I had no clue.

From sheer luck, I found myself in a small room. A messy bed was pushed up in one of the corners with papers all over the desk and floors, and mad scribbles decorated the windowless walls. The scribbles were numbers and words that meant nothing to me, except for one scribble that looked like a time limit. On the disorderly desk near the door was a laptop with some sort of word document pulled up.

Tiny as I was, I walked closer to it standing on the work chair for a better look:

"Time:-

Year:-

File: -

"I finally found him, the special child that had run so far from me. My dear, darling boy. This time, I won't let him get away...I know what's best after all...right?

All that's left is to bring my dear Kuro home as well. I hope she'll be happier to see me though…

I'll keep you updated."

"This entry had been from a few days ago, and I scrolled to the latest one:

"Time:-

Year:-

File: –-

"Experiment failed. Maurice has succumbed to his biological father, Chaos. I had theorized that only Kuro could communicate with their father, and he the mother, but I was dead wrong. I have quarantined him under heavy sedatives till further notice. Subject does not act like himself. He is highly dangerous, and destroyed one of the twins before I could get him under control. I don't know what to do, but I feel as though I must find Kuro as soon as possible if I want to return him to his senses….not even Ivo can do as much...the response was instead very...violent.

"Whatever my son did to hurt his brother, it must have been bad. Otherwise, the reaction wouldn't have been so...volatile. Subject seems to be asleep, and unable to control himself. It would be worth researching further if he wasn't so dangerous, and fear inducing...I haven't felt such fear since…

"I'll keep you updated."

"What?" I whispered, shocked at the new information, "My brother...what's...happened?" But there was no new update. My heart sunk, my mind whirling with questions. I scrolled up, stopping at a random post. This one seemed to be one of the earlier ones.

"Time:-

Year:-

File: -

"Ivo, my beautiful, baby boy has turned away from me. I've tried everything. He keeps telling me that my work is awful. He hates me, and I don't know what to do.

Was my father right in his treatment? Am I just being weak?

I'll..keep you updated."

"Who's Ivo?" I whispered to myself, my heart pounding. I kept scrolling up until I got to the very first entry. These first few entries were different from all the others, and seemed to have been written by a child. They had no date, no number, and were written like a letter to the computer itself:

"Dear Computer,

Hi, my name is Ovi Kintobor, and I'm eight and it's nice to meet you. This is the first time I've ever had a computer..my mom was nice enough to get me one. My dad...he yelled and slapped me when he saw it. He always hits me...I always do bad things, and he just...he just wants the weakness gone. I'm sorry...I just..don't have anyone to talk to about this...so I'll talk to you…Computers are good listeners.

Sincerely, Ovi Kintobor"

He was abused as a child. That was very apparent to me now, and I couldn't help a tear falling down my cheek for him. I kept reading, the other few entries similar to this. His father would make sure he had no friends, and he would punish him for following any other passion except for science, which was his father's hobby. The poor boy developed horribly low self-esteem, and began thinking of death and what it was like around the age of ten. It was only in his teenage years that he saw any hint of a good life:

"Entry –

I found this girl. She's so beautiful, and her smile makes me so happy inside. I've never felt anything like this! I just want to know her, I want to make her smile. I want to go out with her! But I'm too afraid she'll reject me...I mean, who would want a scrawny upstart like me? My father would probably hurt her if she went into the house anyway…. I know I should give up...but something wants me to try for her….

I'll keep you posted."

I kept reading:

"Entry –

She said yes! She said Yes! Oh, I'm so excited. It's only been seventeen years since I felt such joy, but my god, I'm so happy! I have to start planning our date...I'm thinking maybe...a movie, or dinner? What would normally win a girl's heart?

Oh the nerves..I think I'm gonna barf...yep, definitely going to barf. One sec…

I'll keep you posted."

Apparently, he began going out with this girl, Robotnik, at seventeen, then got married to her at nineteen. They had a kid that they named Ivo Robotnik, after his wife's name. His name Kintobor was cast aside in favor of her, and they lived happily for a while. However, Ivo started to show signs of dislike toward his father early on, and the two slowly grew apart. Ovi and his wife weren't able to go out as much anymore, and having no one to talk to, he grew depressed and angry at the world.

However, this stopped when he met a beautiful blue hedgehog with emerald eyes:

"Entry –-

I met this rare, blue hedgehog today. Her fur is so blue, it's amazing. We talked for a while, and we got along. I'm not cheating on my wife, I would never, but I think that this is the start of a good friendship. She's the daughter of a noble, and is engaged to some pompous jerk anyways...she just wants to have a friend, and I need one too… She wants to meet for breakfast tomorrow. I've told my wife, and she is okay with it. In fact, she says I need it...so I'll meet her at the diner tomorrow.

I'll keep you posted."

They met at the diner, and they became really good friends. They would meet often, even after the hedgehog was married. Apparently, the hedgehog the girl married was indeed a jerk and was neglectful to her. She was considered a trophy to him, and complained about this frequently with Ovi. They would also talk about her coal black sister, who enjoyed her time aboard the A.R.K.. Sometime during her time there, she had her own son, born unnaturally with both hers and an alien's DNA, and in a tube...yeah, this particular entry was rather interesting. Eventually the sapphire hedgehog became pregnant under a big emerald, for no reason, and had twins. Ovi was named Godfather, and came to visit the pups often with his son.

I paled..the description of my brother and I exact. He had met our mother, and become our Godfather… According to this, he hated the neglect our father showed us and decided to take us in. Our mother died shortly after, her husband following due to starvation and sickness. The castle fell to ruin, and Ovi regretted what he had done. But it was too late to do anything now.

An accident had also occurred right before he found out about his friend's death, and it blinded his right eye. Apparently, he had been experimenting with the chaos emeralds, particularly the red one, and it backfired, the energy almost destroying the eye and causing permanent blindness in it. But, despite not being able to see the surroundings, that very eye could sense things, living things in particular, around him.

A few weeks later, Ovi's father, as well as his wife's father both passed away due to different reasons:

"Time: -

Year: -

File: -

My father died yesterday. I don't know why, but I'm crying. He was the only father I had, and now he's gone...I didn't even get to say goodbye… Why do I miss him so much? All he's ever done is hurt me...so why? I'm so confused… I've done so many awful things, stealing the kids and killing my best friend. What should I do...is this Karma? What do I do?

My father died of a heart attack, and my wife's father,(Ironically dying on the same day) was executed for treason by G.U.N.. Apparently my father had been out with friends, drinking with his older buddies...I mean, he wasn't a young guy, but he died at just fifty… I was alerted though email since I haven't been on the surface in months… I-I...I don't know what to do… my wife is crying, and refusing any comforting gestures from me...my son is even more distant than normal...I mean, my father in law was his hero… I don't know. I'm going to hell and I know it. I guess this is just the start.

I'll keep you posted."

Tears were falling as I continued reading. Now he posted about us, and the experiments he had done to us. But as the posts went on, I noticed that he was becoming more and more insane. His wife decided he wasn't worth the effort anymore, and his son had completely abandoned him. At this point, the experiments he was doing on us weren't for results, but to vent. He frequently had both me and my brother destroy robots he built, and repeatedly drowned us knowing that we couldn't die. The shocking experiments, though they were for curiosity, were set up to make us scream.

My heart was pounding faster and faster as I continued reading, then...the insanity broke. My brother had run away with my help, and he stopped everything.

"Time: -

Year: -

File: -

Maurice has escaped...my dear little boy is gone… Kuro is still here, but she no longer cares for life… What have I done…? When did I become such a monster?

I'll keep you posted..."

The posts suddenly stopped, only restarting when an alarm sounded throughout the facility:

"G.U.N are here! I don't have any more time...I have to get Kuro out of here! Goodbye computer...I'm sorry for all of this."

This entry left me cold. The flashing lights and sirens echoing in my memory, as his rushed goodbye to this computer probably caused him those wounds I remembered. The entries I read first followed this one, but I was finished.

I turned to the door and found a shadow blocking it, "There you are." The monotone, static voice filled my flickering ears, my quills raising unconsciously, "Would you accompany me to your room? I daresay that your friends are waiting." I stared into his crimson eye, the iris glowing slightly compared to the faded emerald green. A wolf robot and rabbit robot squeezed through the door, their eyes glowing in acknowledgment of my existence.

I didn't know how to feel about this guy anymore. After reading his life story, I didn't want to have to fight him, or hurt him in any way. I just wanted to see my brother and leave this nightmare once and for all.

I clenched my fists, shaking my head, and made a dash for the door. Both robots tried to grab me, the pup almost getting my collar, but I somehow managed to dodge, and squeeze around The Good Doctor. Oddly, the man made no attempt to grab me, and allowed his robots to give chase.

The corridors were a white, unchanging maze. I couldn't even figure out which way I came in, much less where I was going, and no matter how fast I ran, the robots always seemed to be right behind me. I was going supersonic, but I could still see them right there.

Suddenly, I was flying. I had hit something, and flew several feet in the air before landing hard on my stomach and face. Black blood filled my vision when I opened my mismatching eyes, having coughed it up upon landing. The metal footsteps of my pursuers echoed in my ears, my body aching with the sudden halt.

I tried to get to my feet, but I only managed my knees, and began to try to crawl away. The pain, though a dull pain, was horrific, and caused my eyes to water as the dark blood fell like broken waterfalls from my mouth and nose. But I didn't cry out, my vocal cords silent and striving for breath.

"My dear child..." Kintobor's voice put shivers down my spine, the shock of everything drowning me in chaos, "You only hurt yourself by doing this." I felt his hand grab the scruff of my neck as he pulled me from the ground and held me in front of his face. My dark half seemed untouched by the pain, and glared viciously, while the light half was confused and bloody, "Stop fighting, give up. That's the only way to survive in this desolate and cruel world." His free hand began petting behind my ears, "I would have thought you would be wise to this fact." He brought my broken body to his chest and held me there. He then began walking.

The lights flashed above me, one, two, three...white, one, white, two, white, three. Everlasting, and unforgiving, this world of white. He still petted me, moving from my head to my neck to my back in a cycle that he knew I liked. I involuntarily purred with the praise, but in my heart, I was a bewildered and frightened wreck.

That child I had read about was gone from his eyes, torn apart by his choices in life, and the circumstances of his birth. The only thing he seemed to care about was his attachments, being me and my brother. We seemed to be the only thing he lived for now, and I wasn't sure of what to do about it. The act of me being here seemed to make him worse, and the fear I read about in his post from my brother probably made him recall horrific memories from his childhood, which could make the attachment to us stronger and much more violent. He has the knowledge that we can't die, which makes us objects on which he can vent and creatures he can hold and care for at the same time. It was terrifying knowing this, and no matter how much I wanted to save him from this insanity, the reality of what he is now makes me realize that I probably can't...as he may be too far gone.

Before long we came upon a door, and after opening it, he threw me in.

It was the room from my childhood, the blue and red shapes bringing memory into reality. Eggman was here, as well as Knuckles and Tails, and an assortment of other animals.

"Ko!" Tails screamed, running and hugging me, "You're okay!" He squeezed me, the foxes precious blue eyes red with tears.

Knuckles looked at me, smiled for a second, and then went back to staring at the floor in a dazed agony.

Eggman walked up to me, and with an apologetic look, knelt down, "I'm sorry, Ko...I didn't realize..." He stood back up, walking back and forth across the room, "The man took him...he took Maurice..."

A pink hedgehog burst into tears on one of the bunk beds, a black hedgehog matching the description of my aunt's son moving to comfort her, "We..we heard...he..he hasn't...come back..." She managed, choking on her own tears and hugging the shadowed hedgehog.

"Sonic..." The fox breathed, tears falling from his eyes like rivers down his matted cheeks. He was still holding me tightly, my aura, being twins to Sonic, possibly giving him some comfort.

A promiscuously dressed bat was silent as she leaned against the wall, her cheeks red and her eyes cast down at the ground similar to Knuckles. In fact, the Echidna was right beside her, both of them staring into nothing together.

Two robots, Burakku, and a heavily built war machine stood together, making plans and seemingly trying to comfort each other. Burakku, as soon as he saw me, walked to me and petted my head, the words, "I'm sorry" filling my shattered mind.

"I...I'm too late..." I whispered, tears filling my own eyes, both of them. It all suddenly hit me at once, all the shock and confusion vanishing as reality crashed down. I hugged the lonely fox back, crying into his shoulder as he cried into mine.

I don't know how long we all stayed there, mourning Sonic, Maurice, my brother. Everyone was apologizing for not seeing it sooner, or not doing anything despite not being able to. Over and over again, replaying what we could have done in our heads, not accepting facts. No one knew. The hedgehog had told no one of his plight, and though Eggman had known, and tried to do something about it early on, he was distrusted and disdained by the child he had hoped to protect, and thus wasn't able to shelter or warn him in the end.

The robots came back in again, and took me away. The clamoring and crying from Tails, and the outraged cries of our broken friends echoed relentlessly in my head as I was dragged down the hallways and into a darkened room.

Here, they left me, locking me into this empty, shadowed room, the only light from that of a pod where a black hedgehog that looked the same as me slept soundly. His eyes, though sleeping, were open and blank, a creepy smile frozen on his face. It was my brother, illuminated in a glass container as though dead...a slave to science.

I ran to him, placing my hands on the cold glass as tears flowed freely down my face, "Maurice!" I cried, not understanding why. I knew he couldn't hear me, and probably didn't even remember me. My heart was breaking, my darkness spreading as my white fur disappeared, my dark side showing through the pain. My eyes burned red against the glass, my mind whirling as a shriek filled the empty space, "WHY!" It wasn't even a question anymore as it was a cry for help.

 _ **Why don't you sing him a song**_ , a familiar voice asked beside me. The black hedgehog hugged me from behind, warm and comforting in this instant, **_I know he would appreciate it…and you could use a song too, don't you think?_**

I nodded, my head not even comprehending what was happening, "I-I just want...to have my brother back… I just want...to live a happy life… Is that too much to ask?" My heart was bleeding, the whisper coming in a soft, calm breath.

 _ **I'm afraid so...sing for me won't you?**_ Again he asked, and I had no reason not to.

Tears continued to fall as I sung, the quiet tune one from our childhood:

"Deep, deep down," I managed, my breath slowly coming back to me as I sung,

"I believed…

I could bring,

You back to me..." I sunk to my knees, still singing to the shadow, and my brother,

"In this game,

He found fun,

Can the damage be undone?" Memories of our childhood filled the empty void my heart left. I remembered his happy laughter, and his hugs, and his joyful eyes. Every time he saw me, he seemed to instantly feel better, and I couldn't help but be happy in turn. The way I am now though, I knew he would hate me, and that knowledge alone drove my pain further than anything,

"Even though I'm no longer really me,

There's still a part that lives inside,

My heart that hopes to be,

By your side until we see the light,

But the darkness keeps me clothed,

In everlasting night," We had shared each others pain for so long, trying to find meaning in this life, but in the end, we were separated, unable to find each other. In reality, I never wanted him to leave me, but my love for him cause me to make him leave...that pain in turn cause me to bleed again and again until my memory was lost due to head trauma,

"Don't leave,

Me behind,

Won't you let,

me win this time,

I don't want,

To let go,

But I'll be,

Okay alone..." Now that I remember it all, and know the story of our captor, my heart whirls with confusion and absolute pain, so much so that at that moment, I wanted to die. I saw no hope anymore, no light, no matter how hard I tried, and so there I cried, on my knees unable to stand. The fractured pieces of my heart emptied onto the floor like drops of rain.

They came to get me soon after I had calmed down. With empty eyes I stared at my brother, and then at nothing as they moved me back into the room with my brother's friends.

More than anything, I wished for peace. I wished for hope...but at that moment, there was none as we all nursed our emotional wounds together, wishing, just wishing, for a happier world.


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

"My...sister…." I could barely hear my own voice. _His_ however, was loud and clear beside me.

 _ **Yes my child. Your sister is here…**_ He moved around me, hugging me from behind, **_Would you like to see her?_**

"Yes..." I whispered, my voice hoarse and dark. I could feel his smile, that cold, yet comforting smile as my eyes opened outside. It was dark, with one solitary light in the room. It was green, and my shadow was cast upon it, long and malignant.

 _ **As you wish...Maurice.**_


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

Sirens snapped me out of my stupor, the crimson flashing lights filling my vision. But it wasn't only me, as everyone lifted their heads in that dark, childhood prison.

"W-what's going on?" The pink hedgehog, who I learned was called Amy, stuttered as Shadow, our cousin, stood up right beside her. They had both been sitting on the bed, talking and trying to comfort each other before this.

Tails didn't even look up as he answered, "Probably another test..." The poor thing was so depressed as he curled up in Maurice's bed, hugging his pillow tightly. With this, we all sort of settled down, as that idea was perfectly reasonable. But, this excuse didn't last, as what sounded like an explosion filled the air.

"I don't think this is a test." I whispered, my voice hoarse from all the screaming I did about an hour ago. I was sitting beside Tails, on my bed. I didn't feel I had the right to be on his, so I had just been on mine, dreaming of better days. But upon hearing the explosion, I had dashed to the door, hoping for some form of answer. The air was filled with electricity, my quills standing on end with some sort of power.

I heard Amy shiver, "Hey...guys..." She quaked, "This feeling...it feels so...familiar..." I turned to look at her in confusion. She was now standing beside Dr. Eggman, who had been leaning against his bed just moments before the alarm sounded. He had a terrified look on his face, and it wasn't long before everyone noticed it.

"What is that look for?" Rouge, the bat who had introduced herself to me while I was sulking, walked over to him in annoyance. "We already have enough on our plate, so why do you have to go and make such horrid faces?" Wow...I get that she's upset...but wow..

He didn't answer as he rushed to the door beside me, "HEY!" He yelled as though someone would hear him over the siren, "LET US OUT!" He screamed.

I took his coat and pulled on it gently, "Who are you yelling to?" I was panicking as I half-yelled at him, "No one is going to hear us!" What was going on? Why was he so scared? The idea of what it could be filled my heart with disarray and fear. I mean, what could really scare this big guy? He's faced an angry, immortal hedgehog for years, and never backed down...so why?

"IT'S-" He had turned to me, trying to explain, but he never got a chance. Just as he was turning, the door burst, throwing both of us back.

Everything was spinning for a second, sound vanishing from the world. My vision was blurred and I felt like I wanted to hurl. But just as soon as those feelings came, they vanished, and I was able to see again.

The next feeling I felt was shock, as a black hedgehog with raised quills and blank eyes stared at me from the damaged and barely there, doorway. Darkness was practically oozing off him as he stood there lifelessly, almost like a puppet. Then, without any warning, he smiled, the smile sending chills up everyone's spines.

" **Kuro...How nice to see you.** " It wasn't my brother speaking.

I began to quake with fear, his presence numbing my soul, "Where's Maurice?" I whispered, tears filling my vision as my body tried to calm itself. It was here that I realized that everyone else in the room were still frozen in shock, their ears listening intently to each word. Dr. Eggman had managed to get behind me, and was hiding there in fear.

" **Cold, aren't you?** " He chuckled before putting his hand to his head in fake sorrow, " **And here I thought you'd be happy to see me!** " It was weird to see Maurice do that like this. It made my skin crawl. But it also reminded me of someone...

The realization of who it was suddenly hit me, "Chaos...is that you?" I barely whispered.

His smile widened, the act of doing so breaking reality, " **Bingo.** " His arms opened in a hug, " **I came to say "Thank You" for the song. It gave me just the boost I needed to take control of this cry-baby's mind!** " He seemed so happy as he walked over to me and picked me up, holding me over his head like a small child, " **He wouldn't dare do anything that could actually hurt anyone!** " He mused, throwing me up into the air with ease before catching me and doing it again, over and over, " **So I decided to take over.** " I yelped every time he did this, his smile growing wider and wider with each cry, " **But don't you worry your preddy widdle head, My Dark Dearest.** " He suddenly stopped tossing me, and booped my nose before setting me down, " **Yours and his friends won't be harmed...** " He then turned to the cowering Eggman, " **Only his enemies.** "

At this, Eggman cried out and made a dash toward the beds. But knowing he couldn't hide from the demon, he just collapsed in fear against the wall. At this display, Chaos laughed, the sound echoing across space and time. It broke down the soul, and shattered the mind.

" **How amusing!** " He shrugged, " **But don't worry yourself, traitor. Maurice is already screaming at me that you two are friends again.** " He chuckled, " **Just in time too….Oh how I wanted to see you bleed.** " He vanished, appearing suddenly beside Eggman and placing his hand against the wall, " **Se y-la-ve...see what I mean about him being a cry-baby? He's so determined to protect everyone...even if they cause him harm.** " He shrugged again, one eye closing, " **I suppose most would call that honorable. But to me, he and Kuro are all that matter, making everyone else nothing but dust in the wind. They are mine after all, and I hate when something hurts that which is mine.** " He patted his head before walking back to the doorway nonchalantly, no one daring to stop him. Once he was there, he turned, " **And why am I telling you all this?** " No one moved, " **Because I'm about to dye the facility red, and I don't want any of you blaming your sweet, innocent Maurice for it.** " He turned back to the broken door, and exited with a content, " **Tootles!** "

I stared after him, a murmur filling the broken room as the animals all unfroze one by one. Before long, an argument broke out, one that I had no say in.

"We should go after him!" Shadow said loudly, "He's about to kill the doctor!" But his argument was one-sided, as almost everyone else sided against him. The only ones on his side were Eggman, Rouge, Omega, and Burakku. Amy, Tails, Charmy, Espio, Knuckles, and Vector were either too scared of Chaos, or just didn't care for the Doctor's safety.

Tails spoke up against Shadow, his face still buried in his tail, "Why bother? No one can beat him, and besides...The Good Doctor will get what he deserves." This sparked an all out fight, one side battling for mercy, while the other side wanted nothing to do with it. They had all had enough.

I sat there, listening to this and staring. It didn't matter what they were going to say or do as I had already made up my mind.

They didn't even notice as I dashed out of the room, chasing Chaos down the hallways.

I couldn't just let The Good Doctor die, not after all I read; nor could I let Chaos force Maurice to kill someone like that. Judging by what he had said about Maurice screaming at him to let Eggman live, told me that Maurice was watching, and was definitely still there. I had to do something...even if I didn't know what. My head was spinning too fast to form a plan, and my heart sounded like thunder against my rib-cage.

It didn't take long before I found him...and not just him…

The scene I found was tragic:

The black hedgehog had The Good Doctor pinned against the remains of his dear computer, pleading in his monotone voice for forgiveness. The bed behind them had been torn up, the walls filled with claw marks, and papers scattered and torn all over the floor. The Good Doctor himself was bleeding, his mismatched eyes filled with terror as his life seemed to be flashing before his eyes. The hedgehog he had so loved, now turned on him to end his life.

I tried to run forward, but couldn't. My heart screamed for this to stop, but my mouth wouldn't move. I was glued there, _**helpless**_ as my heart beat faster and faster. I felt as though I would explode, but I couldn't move. _Help him, save him, anyone!_ But nobody came.

 _ **You want this to end?**_ A woman's voice filled my mind, and everything froze.

 _Yes._ I replied, my mind speaking for me.

 _ **What price will you pay for fate's reversal?**_ Her voice was soothing, and reminded me of someone.

 _Anything_. I cried out.

 _ **Even your very existence?**_ I turned around, surprised at my own movement, and confused at what I saw. In front of me was a large, glowing green gem. It was almost bigger than this hallway, and loomed over me sadly.

 _What?_ I whispered, my heart sinking, _What...do you mean...my existence?_

The beautiful gem glinted gorgeously in the white light, every eternity reflected in her glass, _**The only way to fix this...is to erase you from memory, and from eternity. But not only you...your mother, your father, and Ovi Kintobor. For the only way to change this fate, is to erase the ones who caused it.**_

My eyes widened, my heart breaking with her soft, yet stabbing words. _You mean...no one will remember us?_

 _ **Correct.**_

 _But...but…_ Tears filled my vision as they poured down my left side, _That's not fair._ I broke, falling to the ground. _We finally remembered each other! I finally got to see my brother, after all these years...and now...he'll just...forget me? I won't even exist to him? That's not fair!_ The gem was silent as I cried, my tears creating a puddle beneath me. _All I wanted...all...I wanted...I just wanted to talk to him...I just wanted to hug him...and now..I'll never get the chance…_

 _ **You could refuse.**_

I shook my head, my eyes darting back to the scene from before, _I can't...You know I can't._

 _ **As you wish.**_ Her glow began to get brighter, a heartbeat filling the air.

 _But…_ She stopped, now waiting, _Before I go...What brought you here?_ I raised my head to look at her, her crystal body turning in silent thought as her glow and heartbeat remained the way they were.

 _ **You, him, Maurice, your friends. You were all crying out. The balance was tipped, and Chaos got free. How could I not come?**_ She responded, **_Is that all you wanted to know?_**

I waited, wondering what else I could want to know. But, thinking of nothing, I somberly replied, _Yes._

 _ **Very well. You are very brave you know. I am very proud of you, Kuro.**_ I felt my head drop again as everything went white, then black.


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

I awoke within darkness, my body heavy and hurting. _What happened?_ My puzzled mind wondered. _Where was everyone? Are they okay...Did I...do anything to them?_ A depression filled my soul as I slowly got up and looked around. I remembered being taken over...and almost killing someone. But, I couldn't remember who. It frustrated me, as, if I was angry enough to want to murder someone...then surely I'd remember them…

I shook my head...Now wasn't the time for that. I was sure I'd remember sooner or later.

A soft blue light was coming from some distance off. I saw nothing in any other direction so I began to walk to it. My footsteps echoed as I walked, the ground non-existent, but still somehow there.

My eyes widened as her sobs reached my ears, and her cool blue fur graced my vision. Kuro...my sister. She's here...but where is here, and why is she...? She was on her knees crying into her gloved hands, a small, flickering light emanating from her tiny body. Suddenly, her fearful, broken voice rang out.

"Who's there?!" My heart broke at this, and I knelt down behind her as she continued, "It's so dark...I can't see..."

"Turn around." I whispered softly, but she only curled into a ball, and continued to weep miserably.

"Why do you sound like him?" She cried out, "He's gone...and-" She sputtered and gasped as her breath lost itself in the sorrow, "He's not coming back! He...doesn't even remember me anymore."

"Who?" I asked, my heart shattering with her cries.

"My brother...Maurice." An ironic smile crossed her face, "Pathetic, aren't I? I couldn't even save the only one that ever truly mattered to me..." My head fell, but she continued, "All these years of hoping to see him. I finally got the chance...but now, it's gone. He had gone insane, and I had to erase everyone's memory of our adventure, of Ovi, of our parents...and of me..." She went back to kneeling and wiped her nose with her arm, "Well, at least he and everyone else are safe..right? They get their happy ending..." I nodded, but she couldn't see, "But..then why does it hurt so much?" She lost it again, "All I ever wanted to do was see him again! I wanted to talk to him, and hug him...was that too much to ask?" Her cries were getting louder as she became more and more angry at her tragic fate, "I could even go without talking to him...just a hug...just-something..anything besides this!" She began to pound the ground, the jolts of anger echoing in the darkness all around us.

I put my hand on her shoulder, her body flinching at my touch. It was here that she began to sing as a, I can only assume, way to calm herself down. But it was a haunting melody of anger and despair, her cruel fate leaving her blind to the one who listened with a melancholy silence right behind her:

"Was left below,

In the world we'd known,

Hoping that someone could find me.

Life underground,

It's over now,

Tried to leave all that behind me," I slowly knelt down, hugging her from behind as she sung, my eyes filling with tears as her beautiful and familiar voice washed over me. It were as though we had gone back in time, to an age where we were safe and sound. That age that had never truly been, but that we had once still known in our dreams.

"When he called my name,

The demon comes,

But was I to blame?

I tried to be good…

I really did..

Not sure I could," She didn't seem to be crying anymore, as the song was bringing out all of her emotion, and filling the empty void with it.

"Leaving this world,

Broken, unfurled,

Couldn't take anymore crying.

Been disposed of,

Once I found love,

Lights up above,

From stars slowly dying," I noticed three shadows just beyond our blue light, their forms familiar, yet distant. They looked to be in the form of two hedgehogs, and a young boy of eight. They just sat there outside light's reach, listening to my sister's song peacefully. The young boy even seemed to smile, as tears slowly traced down his cheeks, glinting in what little glow illuminated him.

"I once knew light,

Burning bright,

Shadows invade..

I've lost the dawn,

Sunlight's gone,

Left this dismal grave…" As I watched, one of the hedgehogs, the bigger one that looked to be male, began to shatter, like glass. His fracturing body slowly turned into black sand, that peaceful look still on his face. I watched with wide eyes as that expression vanished into that pile of dust, and blew away on some wind I could neither feel or see.

"I remain still,

Power of will,

Leaves me here to keep on crying," The female hedgehog was next, her body becoming beautiful blue petals that blew softly around us. One petal graced my cheek, kissing it with all the warmth in the world as she left...forgotten in time.

"I know somehow,

There's no point now,

To try and stop the hate,

The dying..," The little boy smiled at me before he met his end, slowly being turned into a thick cloud of dark smoke. It was how he had survived all these years, using such smoke to fool everyone. It was only fitting that it be his end, and he was content with it.

"No hopes, no dreams,

I have nothing,

Death is all that can salvage me.

The end's calling,

No more stalling,

Stars will fade,

And I'll stop shining..." Her voice stopped, all the shadows who once stood there listening all gone without a trace. I still held her close, and with a shock to the heart, I realized she was no longer moving. She wasn't even able to hold herself up as she collapsed in my arms.

"Please..." She whispered, "Who are you?" I nearly choked as the tears I had been holding back till now fell in full force.

"It's me, Maurice." I told her, placing her in my lap so that I could finally see her face. But my heart broke when I saw that she couldn't see mine.

Her beautiful green eyes were clouded over and stared at nothing, her expression one of peace as she smiled at my name, "Maurice...I know him." She giggled softly, her ears and quills becoming transparent as they slowly disappeared into a sky-blue light.

I was barely able to speak, "Yes...y-yes...I'm your b-brother...remember?" She nodded slowly, the smile growing more beautiful as a quiet joy filled her fading eyes.

"Maurice..." She repeated my name to herself, "What a wonderful young hedgehog." She mused, "For so long, I wanted nothing more than to hear his sweet voice...just one more time." She moved her face, trying to find mine as she buried her cheek in my arm, "Could I hear yours? You sound so much like him..."

I held her tighter, tears blinding me as I responded quickly, "Of course! You don't even need to ask!" We were children..just children. We had been abused, tortured, separated, and made into beings we didn't understand by people we didn't understand. Now here we were, back together once again, having to say our goodbyes. How was this fair? She doesn't even know it's me…

"W-would you..l-like a l-lullaby?" I stuttered, barely able to get the words out. She nodded, smiling as her arms and legs slowly disappeared.

"I would love that." She closed her blind eyes, snuggling against me.

"Okay..uh," I thought for a moment, trying to remember one she used to sing me. A memory filled my heart, and I began the song:

"It's not fair to be alone,

After what you've been through,

So let me just ease your pain,

Please let me stay with you," It was a song that she had sung me one night when I had been punished for trying to escape. I remember the feeling of being cold and wet as I cowered beneath the bed. She had knelt down and begun singing, trying to calm me as she brought me out and sat me on the bed, holding me close, just singing...just singing.

"I will show you love always,

Because I know deep inside,

It will be okay you'll see,

Though life isn't easy." Now our roles were reversed, I holding her as she slowly disappeared. Though she showed no signs of fear, I knew somewhere deep down, that she was terrified...and who wouldn't be at their own demise?

"I will stay her by your side,

I know it's frightening,

To think that you might now leave,

But that my sis is why," I began to change the lyrics, my grasp growing tighter as I began to rock back and forth. I didn't want to lose her, but there was nothing I could do...Or if there was, I didn't know what. In all my years, she was the last one I thought I would ever say this kind of goodbye to. I had always known that I would see her again, as we were both immortal and couldn't die. But somehow, this world had managed to do the impossible, and was taking her away from me in the cruelest way it knew how.

"You will see the sun again,

And feel the West Wind's warmth,

The sky will shine so blue,

This I know is true,

So please just stay here with me,

You are so dear to me,

My sweet sister of sky blue,

I will remember you..." She was now almost completely gone, her beaming face the only thing left remaining as she whispered,

"So much blood,

So much pain,

Just to see,

You once again.

Someday soon,

We'll meet again,

So they say,

Please tell me when...goodbye...Maurice." She was gone, vanished into thin, blue light. This light lit the endless night like stars as I fell into my hands, bawling like the child I am. Then, with a despair I couldn't explain even if I tried, I screamed. I screamed long and hard, the echo reverberating off the shadows and hitting me over and over again before I collapsed once more into my gloved hands, holding my face as I wept bitterly.

"Sonic?" A familiar voice filled my ears, and I looked up hopefully...but it wasn't her. A child Robotnik was standing there instead, illuminated by the blue light. His messy red hair, and cute green eyes were red and puffy, as though he too had been crying. He wore nothing besides a ragged, brown t-shirt, and ripped shorts. His knees and feet were rather red, as though he had just been kneeling on the non-existent ground. "Sonic...is that you?"

He gulped and took a step forward, his hand outstretched toward me. But, he reconsidered, and drew it back.

"I...I-" I hugged him tightly, my feet numb to me as I almost knocked him over with the sheer force of this speedy action. He gasped for a second before hugging me back, his tears warm and heavy on my fur, mine probably being the same on his clothes.

"I'm sorry." I don't know how long we stood there, the weight of our memories chaining us to that one spot and position. There were no words to exchange, no apologies to make. We had already made them all, and now, we both just wanted silence. We just wanted to know that the other was there despite what we have done in the past. But nothing lasts forever, this hug falling as a green light filled the empty space.

 _ **My children...**_ A female voice greeted us, and we let each other go. I turned to see a giant, green gem that I recognized to be the Master Emerald. She was just floating there sadly, the blue light my sister had left becoming a part of the green light the Master Emerald held.

I couldn't speak, my voice too raw and too sore to work. Robotnik probably could speak, but he didn't, and instead held his head in shame. We were both still standing close together.

 _ **I am sorry...this outcome was not what I had desired.**_ She spun silently, emerald light, like tears, falling to the ground just below her. **_I had hoped to erase all the pain and all the memories...but I am afraid that I am not able to erase yours. They are your family after all, and to erase your memory of them would be to erase your pasts...and therefore, your reasons to fight._**

An anger flared in me. That was what she was sorry about? Not the fact that I just saw my sister vanish into pure light? The Master Emerald looked at me, and flinched. I guess my look was pretty explanatory.

 _ **Maurice...My dear little boy. Though it was I who erased it all, it was your sister who asked me to. I am just sorry I couldn't truly complete her wish.**_ Suddenly more tears formed in my eyes as I leaned against Robotnik, the idea that I could have drove her to do such a thing, stabbed me in the heart.

 _ **I see you two are friends again…**_ The Master Emerald watched us, **_My dear children… You must become enemies once more. Otherwise the balance will be tipped, and this world will become a power vacuum. There must always be a villain and a hero-_** She didn't finish though as Robotnik snapped, his hand cradling my head.

"Screw your balance! I just had to watch my father turn to ash, and now you're telling me that I have to betray my best friend all over again?" He held me tighter, "No, screw you! I just got him back! Look at him! He just lost his sister, and you dare to try to make him into an emotionless hero just to suit your sick needs?" He took my hand and began walking, I following without any hesitation, "We're leaving you sick bastard. Where's the exit?!" I couldn't help but admire this Robotnik as he led me away from the gem. This was my best friend, the friend that I remembered from so long ago.

The Master Emerald watched us gently, _**You can't leave without my allowing it, children.**_

"I DON'T CARE!" Robotnik screamed, bringing us to a run.

I don't know how long we ran, but eventually, we saw a light. It was a green light…? The Master Emerald stood in front of us once more, watching us with a glint of concern. Robotnik fell to his knees, and pounded the ground. I just stood there, my body and mind so numb that I just didn't care to move anymore.

 _ **Are you ready to hear my proposal yet, dear children?**_ We didn't even answer as she continued, _**You don't have to betray each other or become true enemies. You just need to pretend. I wouldn't ask you to go back to hating each other, never. I just want the balance to stay correct so that no worse villains try to take your place Robotnik.**_ She moved a bit closer to him, **_It would be another deal to protect your friend, but this time, you both would know about it._**

Robotnik lifted his head and looked at her, then at me. He was huffing and puffing from the running, and could hardly speak. So, he just swung his arm, "Fine." He wheezed, "There's no other way...huh..."

 _ **I will allow you two some time then...to gather your thoughts. Goodbye, my dear children.**_ She vanished into thin light, leaving my sister's stars glowing in the sky to light up our conversation.

We both just stared at each other for a few minutes before Robotnik finally spoke.

"It...won't be that bad..." He tried to be optimistic as he smiled at me, "At least...we'll know the truth...right?" His smile was fake, his big, green eyes filling with tears. I fell to his side and hugged him, the stars disappearing, one by one. "I'll stop kidnapping animals and turning them into robots." He mused as the tears fell down his cheeks, "We can play tennis together...maybe race if you want." He chuckled, choking on his tears, "We'll just...tell your friends...it's a secret plot that I'm cooking up..." He could barely get the words out as he talked, "We'll hang out sometimes...right?" He looked at me hopefully, my raspy voice answering him.

"Absolutely..." I uttered, "Wouldn't...miss it...for the world." We just sat in silence after that, waiting as the stars all faded from the sky, the world blacking out in silence.

I awoke on a hill beneath a large, oaken tree. The sun was rising in the east, dying the sky a beautiful hue of violet and crimson. The shadows on the trees just in the distance gave a wonderful contrast to the sky, the wind blowing all around me gently and calmly. It filled my lungs with sweet, fresh air for what seemed the first time in years.

Beside me was my best friend, Robotnik, dressed in his stupid disguise that he had made so many years ago, his hand in mine. He seemed to be fast asleep, his silly snore filling the mostly silent air. At the foot of the hill, I could just see all my friends, robotic and not, all sleeping soundly in the soft, green grass, and multicolored flowers.

Just in front of me were the spirits of two children. One looked like a younger form of Robotnik, with his red hair and fair skin, while the other looked to be a young, cobalt hedgehog with quills that defied gravity. They both sat hand in hand watching peacefully as the sun rose over the trees.

The little cobalt hedgehog turn to look at me, and smiled. Her mouth traced the words, "Isn't it beautiful?"

 _ **Thank you to all those that stayed with me through this entire story. You all have been amazing!**_

 _ **Thank You!**_


End file.
